Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | President Yoweri Museveni has leveled new accusations against the National Unity Platform (NUP), asserting that the opposition party rigged the 2021 general elections by inflating their votes by one million.
After one of the most turbulent election campaigns in Ugandan history, the Electoral Commission (EC) said Museveni had taken 59% of the vote and Wine 35%.
Speaking at a Thanksgiving service in honor of the late General Aronda Nyakairima, Mr. Museveni claimed to have solid evidence backing his allegations. He openly challenged NUP to dispute his claims if they believe they are unfounded.
General Aronda, who passed away unexpectedly on a flight returning to Uganda on September 12, 2015, served as the internal affairs minister at the time of his death and was also a former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
According to Mr. Museveni, the alleged vote rigging occurred due to lapses by electoral agents who failed to properly supervise polling stations. He noted that electoral fraud has become a common issue in Uganda, with some politicians resorting to dishonest tactics to secure power.
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To combat these issues, Mr. Museveni advocated for the introduction of electronic voting systems, emphasizing that any polling station experiencing technical issues with voting machines should have its election suspended until the problems are resolved.
The President also reflected on Uganda’s long history of election-related controversies, which he said began as early as the 1960s during the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) era.
He emphasized the importance of biometric voter verification through fingerprint identification to prevent voter impersonation and ensure the integrity of future elections.
