At least seven opposition supporters were killed overnight in Uganda amid disputed clashes, as early presidential election results show President Yoweri Museveni taking a commanding lead.
The deaths occurred in Butambala, about 55km south-west of the capital Kampala, where opposition figures say security forces attacked civilians gathered at the home of an opposition MP. Police, however, insist the violence was triggered by opposition supporters and say officers acted in self-defence.
Provisional results released by the electoral commission place Museveni on 75% of the vote, with his main challenger, pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, trailing on 21%, based on returns from about 60% of polling stations.
The US embassy in Kampala issued a security alert after reports that security forces were using tear gas and firing shots into the air to disperse crowds in several areas.
Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) said security forces had surrounded his home in Kampala, effectively placing him and his wife under house arrest. Journalists reported being blocked from accessing the area, while the party accused security officers of entering the compound and erecting tents inside.
Opposition MP Muwanga Kivumbi told AFP that soldiers and police fired tear gas and live bullets at hundreds of people who had gathered at his home to follow early results, claiming that ten people were killed inside his house. Human rights activist Agather Atuhaire confirmed this account to Reuters.
Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe rejected the claims, saying officers responded after what she described as an attack by NUP supporters on a police station, adding that the group was armed with machetes, axes and matches. She confirmed that at least seven people had died during the confrontation.
The internet shutdown imposed earlier in the week has slowed the flow of information, with news of the overnight violence only emerging on Friday. Wine’s party says the blackout is aimed at preventing the opposition from sharing evidence of election irregularities.
Electoral commission chair Simon Byabakama said vote counting had not been affected by the internet outage, insisting results were being transmitted through a private system. He said the final presidential results would be announced within 48 hours, before 5pm on Saturday.
Ugandans voted on Thursday after a tense and often violent campaign, with Museveni, 81, seeking a seventh term in office. Wine, 43, has alleged massive fraud during the vote, though he has not provided documentary evidence and authorities have not responded directly to the claims.
Voting was delayed for hours in many polling stations due to late delivery of materials and malfunctioning biometric machines, issues some observers have linked to the communications blackout.
Human rights groups and the UN had warned ahead of the vote that the election would be marked by intimidation and repression, citing arrests and assaults on opposition supporters during the campaign.
Although eight candidates are contesting the presidency, the race is widely seen as a contest between Museveni and Wine. Analysts say the early results suggest the long-serving leader is on course to extend his nearly four-decade rule.
Wine has pledged to fight corruption and push reforms for Uganda’s youthful population, while Museveni argues he remains the country’s main source of stability. A Museveni victory would further fuel speculation about his son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as a future successor, something the president denies.
The electoral commission says the official presidential result will be announced by Saturday afternoon.