Ugandan military denies seizing opposition chief Bobi Wine amid vote depend

[ad_1] Uganda’s military denied claims on Saturday that opposition chief Bobi Wine had been kidnapped from his residence, as counting continued in an election marred by stories of not less than 10 deaths amid an web blackout.

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, regarded set to be declared winner and prolong his 40-year rule in a while Saturday, with a commanding lead in opposition to Wine, a former singer turned politician.

Learn extra Polls shut in Ugandan election after web blackout, lengthy delays

Wine stated Friday that he was below home arrest, and his celebration later wrote on X that he had been “forcibly taken” by a military helicopter from his compound.

The military denied that declare.

“The rumours of his so-called arrest are baseless and unfounded,” military spokesman Chris Magezi instructed AFP.

“They're designed to incite his supporters into acts of violence,” he added.

AFP journalists stated the scenario was calm outdoors Wine’s residence early Saturday, however they have been unable to contact members of the celebration because of continued communications interruptions.

A close-by stall-owner, 29-year-old Prince Jerard, stated he heard a drone and helicopter on the residence the earlier night time, with a heavy safety presence.

“Many individuals have left (the world),” he stated. “Now we have quite a lot of concern.”

With greater than 80 % of votes counted on Friday, Museveni was main on 73.7 % to Wine’s 22.7, the Electoral Fee stated.

Last outcomes have been due round 1300 GMT on Saturday.

Wine, 43, whose actual title is Robert Kyagulanyi, has emerged as the principle challenger to Museveni in recent times, styling himself the “ghetto president” after the slum areas the place he grew up within the capital, Kampala.

He has accused the federal government of “large poll stuffing” and attacking a number of of his celebration officers below cowl of the web blackout, which was imposed forward of Thursday’s polls and remained in place on Saturday.

His claims couldn't be independently verified, however the United Nations rights workplace stated final week that the elections have been going down in an surroundings marked by “widespread repression and intimidation” in opposition to the opposition.

Studies of violence Analysts have lengthy seen the election as a formality.

Museveni, a former guerrilla fighter who seized energy in 1986, has whole management over the state and safety equipment, and has ruthlessly crushed any challenger throughout his rule.

Election day was marred by vital technical issues after biometric machines—used to verify voters’ identities—malfunctioned and poll papers have been undelivered for a number of hours in lots of areas.

There have been stories of violence in opposition to the opposition in different elements of the nation.

Muwanga Kivumbi, member of parliament for Wine’s celebration within the Butambala space of central Uganda, instructed AFP’s Nairobi workplace by cellphone that safety forces had killed 10 of his marketing campaign brokers after storming his residence.