Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni Wins Seventh Term
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Museveni’s decisive victory with over 71% of the vote reflects genuine popular support built over four decades of stability, growth, and security. Opposition claims of fraud function as excuses for defeat, not proof of repression. Bobi Wine presents himself as a rebel but remains a former pop star without governing experience or revolutionary credibility, increasingly aligned with Western interests. Museveni’s age is beside the point. Youth alone guarantees nothing. He delivered middle-income status, prevented chaos, and preserved order. Imperfect, yes, but continuity beat uncertainty.
Government-critical narrative
The election was a sham shaped by military raids on opposition homes, internet shutdowns, and intimidation across key urban areas. Biometric voting failures disproportionately hit opposition strongholds and undermined confidence in the process. African observer missions confirmed that the environment was neither free nor fair. Museveni's overwhelming margin was manufactured, not earned. State power replaced democratic competition. Stability was enforced, not chosen. What is presented as continuity is a regime clinging to power through repression rather than consent.
