Bobi Wine to Museveni: Why not sack Byabakama if NUP stole your votes?

Uganda’s opposition leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, on Wednesday challenged President Museveni to sack the head of the Electoral Commission (EC) if he genuinely believes the 2021 General Election was manipulated against him.

Bobi Wine, the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, said both he and Museveni have accused the Justice Simon Byabakama-led commission of presiding over electoral malpractice, raising questions about the commission’s credibility ahead of the January 15 polls.

“We are all complaining that our votes were stolen during the 2021 General Election. Our candidates are currently being unfairly nominated by Justice Byabakama. Gen Museveni also complained that 2.7 million of his votes were rigged under the watch of the same commission. Let him sack Byabakama if he is genuine in what he says,” Bobi Wine told.

The Movement (NRM) flag bearer has, since 2021, alleged that opposition supporters manipulated results in their stronghold, the Buganda region, during the last election.

In September 2024, Museveni accused NUP of stealing up to one million of his votes in Buganda.

He repeated the claim on December 15, 2025, while addressing a rally at Kasambya Diocese playground in Mubende District, this time saying 2.7 million votes were rigged through ballot stuffing or multiple voting.

The 2021 election was won by Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, but was unsuccessfully challenged in court by Bobi Wine, who has repeatedly claimed he was the “president-elect.”

Delivering his New Year 2026 address on Wednesday night, Museveni urged Ugandans to turn up in big numbers and vote, declaring 'Uganda secure', and the NRM party 'unstoppable.'

Under the Ugandan Constitution, the president appoints Electoral Commission commissioners and is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Justice Byabakama was first appointed EC chairperson by Museveni in November 2016, replacing Eng Badru Kiggundu. He was reappointed last year for another seven-year term that allows him to oversee the January 15 elections.

Meanwhile, still at the Masaka rally, Bobi Wine also faulted the commission for nominating Jamil Kivumbi as NUP flag bearer for the Bukoto Central parliamentary race, despite the party endorsing Alex Kalinzi Ntamu.

“NUP is a fully registered political party, and we reserve the right to endorse candidates, not EC. We wrote to them to rectify this, but they are still adamant,” he said.

Bobi Wine further pledged to return land to displaced rightful owners and urged residents to keep proof of ownership.

Masaka District Woman MP Joan Namutaawe told the rally that the lack of electricity in nearby villages was stifling development.

“Mr President, we are a few kilometers away from Masaka City, but some villages here still lack electricity. Which gains can these protect?” she asked.

Masaka sub-region remains a stronghold of the opposition. In the 2021 presidential election, Museveni garnered 14,992 votes in Masaka City against Bobi Wine’s 53,444, according to EC figures. In Masaka District, Bobi Wine polled 23,132 votes compared with Museveni’s 11,317.

Political observers attribute NRM’s poor performance in the region to unfulfilled industrial pledges, land evictions, enforced disappearances of opposition supporters, and rising corruption.

Museveni, seeking to extend his rule to 45 years, has won every election since 1996. Uganda’s Supreme Court has previously acknowledged widespread electoral irregularities but upheld results, ruling they did not substantially affect outcomes.