The leader of the Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP), Frank Bulira, has rejected the recently announced presidential election results, accusing the government of systematically obstructing his campaign and undermining democratic processes.
Speaking at a press conference at RPP party offices in Mengo, Bulira criticized the Electoral Commission and the government, alleging intimidation, arrests of supporters, and the freezing of his bank accounts, which he said crippled his ability to campaign.
“The government was not free or fair,” Bulira said. “Wherever I went, my supporters were arrested, my resources were blocked, and my campaigns were deliberately curtailed.”
He said the freezing of his accounts prevented him from accessing campaign funds, while overseas supporters willing to provide financial backing were blocked.
Several of his campaign vehicles were reportedly impounded by the Uganda Revenue Authority, and many supporters were detained, leaving Bulira able to hold only two rallies nationwide.
Bulira, who finished fifth in the presidential race with more than 40,000 votes, dismissed the results announced by Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama as “completely false.”
He also ruled out challenging the results in court, citing lack of confidence in the judiciary.
“I do not have time to petition the courts because all courts belong to President Museveni. I cannot get justice from them,” he said.
Despite the outcome, Bulira insisted that he would have won by a landslide if not restrained, claiming to have monitored vote counts from his tally centre in Johannesburg.
He acknowledged that his party’s poor performance in parliamentary elections was partly due to limited resources, which prevented RPP from adequately supporting its candidates.
Looking ahead, Bulira said the party will focus on issues benefiting all Ugandans while rebuilding its political structures.
He also criticized other presidential candidates for failing to campaign meaningfully and accused some opposition MPs of betraying Dr. Aggrey Kiyingi.
Bulira concluded by warning that Uganda’s democracy remains under threat unless political freedoms are respected and opposition parties are allowed to operate without interference.
