Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye has congratulated President Yoweri Museveni on his re-election, reaffirming Burundi’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between the two East African neighbours.
In a message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Ndayishimiye hailed Museveni’s victory and expressed optimism about continued collaboration between their governments.
“Congratulations to HE President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni upon his re-election as President of the Republic of Uganda. May your visionary leadership continue to steer the nation forward. Looking forward to continuing to work together to strengthen the longstanding bilateral ties between our countries,” the message read.
President Museveni was officially declared the winner of the 2026 presidential election by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, at the National Tally Centre in Lubowa on Saturday, having secured 7,946,772 votes—representing 71.65 percent of the total valid votes cast—extending his leadership to a seventh term in office.
The victory marks the first time in three decades that Museveni has surpassed the 70 percent threshold, a feat he last achieved in 1996 when he garnered 74.3 percent of the vote.
His closest challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu—popularly known as Bobi Wine—contesting on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket, came second with 2,741,238 votes, accounting for 24.72 percent.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) finished third with 209,039 votes, equivalent to 1.88 percent, while the remaining five candidates each received less than one percent of the vote.
Ndayishimiye’s congratulatory message adds to a growing list of African leaders extending their best wishes to Museveni following his re-election.
Other heads of state who have expressed congratulations include Kenyan President William Ruto, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, all pledging continued cooperation between their respective nations and Uganda.
These messages underscore Uganda’s continued importance in regional politics and cooperation, particularly within the East African Community, where Kampala plays a central role in diplomacy, security, and economic integration.
