Bobi Wine addressing the media

The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine has declared himself the winner of the January 14 presidential election. The former presidential candidate claims he won the election by 54.19 per cent and has called on Ugandans to claim their victory which he says was robbed the Electoral Commission.

Tabling before the media what he claimed was evidence of some 2,000 declaration of results forms (DR) which he said were rejected by the Supreme court, Kyagulanyi says Museveni only scored 34.83 per cent of the total ballots cast and not the 58.64 per cent that was given to him by the Electoral Commission chairperson Simon Byabakama.

Kyagulanyi said he’d tried to challenge the election results in court last month but was met with bias from the justices. He highlighted the decision to deny him the chance to amend his petition with supporting affidavits and judges who have a history of working closely with President Museveni as reasons that forced him to withdraw the petition.

Addressing Journalists in a press conference joined by the elected NUP leaders, supporters at the Kamwokya based NUP headquarters, Kyagulanyi said the displayed DR forms contain actual results contrary to what the Electoral Commission announced. The EC has come under intense scrutiny after admitting to posting “fake” DR forms whose totals did not tally – lending credence to allegations of mass vote-rigging in favour of President Museveni.

“The rigging of the election results shows that the Byabakama commission rigged this election brainlessly, the rigging was done in such an immature way, from our tally, even with all the ballot stuffing, we beat Gen Museveni with 54.19 per cent,” said.

He urged his supporters to come out in large numbers and stage peaceful demonstrations.

“The Constitution of Uganda under Article 29, gives us the right to protest peacefully,” said Kyagulanyi.

“I call upon all Ugandans to march to their respective Electoral Commission offices in your areas of residence and those elsewhere to protest peacefully in any way they see fit as long as it is peaceful.”

He said that they are going to peacefully protest against Museveni’s victory on four grounds among which is a rigged election, demanding the immediate stop of abductions, detention of people for their conscience, and trying civilians in military courts. He said it is high time Ugandans break the chains of enslavement that they have been locked in for the 35 years under General Museveni.

Yesterday police announced that they had intelligence reports which pointed at NUP supporters planning to hold riots across the country. Amidst heavy deployments in all roads leading to Kamwokya, a police helicopter was also seen hovering over the NUP party offices as the press conference went on.