Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni surged to a dominant early lead in presidential election results Friday, as the opposition accused authorities of repression, fraud and effectively placing main challenger Bobi Wine under house arrest in a vote marred by delays, violence and a nationwide internet shutdown.
Partial results released by the electoral commission from nearly half of polling stations showed Museveni with 76.25% of the vote, far ahead of Wine on 19.85%, with the remaining ballots split among six other candidates.
Museveni, 81, has ruled Uganda since taking power as a rebel leader in 1986 and is seeking what would be a seventh term, extending his grip on the East African nation into a fifth decade.
Museveni said after voting Thursday that he expected to win around 80% “if there’s no cheating.” His government has repeatedly dismissed allegations of electoral misconduct.
Wine, a pop star-turned-politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, alleged widespread fraud and intimidation during the vote, which took place under a days-long internet blackout ordered by authorities.
