NUP dismisses Museveni’s election rigging allegations as shameless

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has strongly dismissed President Museveni's accusations that the opposition party rigged the 2021 general elections, labeling the claims "laughable" and "shameless."

Speaking during a Thanksgiving service for the late General Aronda Nyakairima on Thursday, President Museveni alleged that NUP inflated their vote count by one million in the 2021 elections.

He claimed to have concrete evidence to support this accusation and challenged NUP to confront him if they believe otherwise.

Museveni attributed the alleged vote rigging to electoral agents who, he said, failed to properly oversee the process.

He acknowledged that election fraud is a widespread issue in Uganda’s political landscape, with some politicians resorting to fraudulent tactics to secure power.

To address this, the president proposed the introduction of electronic voting systems, suggesting that elections at any polling station where machines malfunction should be suspended until the issue is resolved.

In an interview with NBS, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya responded to the president’s allegations, highlighting the irony of the accusations given the widespread claims of rigging by the government in the same election.

“This is laughable. Museveni, who engaged in massive election rigging, is now accusing NUP of the same. The 2021 election was described as an election from hell, with ballot stuffing, arrests of our polling agents, and the seizure of declaration forms,” Rubongoya stated.

He further questioned how Museveni could have secured 100% of the vote in 400 polling stations, calling such results "ridiculous by all standards."

The 2021 election, which saw President Museveni win a contested victory, was marred by reports of violence, suppression of opposition activities, and the abduction of NUP supporters. International observers were denied accreditation to monitor the election process.

Rubongoya challenged Museveni to present his evidence, noting that NUP’s own attempts to present evidence of electoral malpractice were blocked by the Supreme Court.

He reiterated NUP’s call for an independent audit of the 2021 elections, overseen by credible international bodies like the United Nations.

In response to Museveni’s call for electoral law reforms to mandate electronic voting, Rubongoya argued that the issue lies not with the laws but with their abuse.

“The problem is impunity. The laws are okay, but they are not followed,” he said.

As the country prepares for 2026 general elections, Rubongoya suggested that Museveni may be laying the groundwork for further undemocratic practices, questioning his ability to win a popular vote.