Museveni Accuses Opposition of Printing 2.7 Million Fake Ballots; NUP Demands Audit and Challenges Him to Court
Kampala, Uganda – President Yoweri Museveni has reignited controversy over Uganda’s 2021 presidential election, publicly alleging that opposition groups orchestrated a massive ballot fraud operation in the capital. The claims have been met with fierce denials and a formal legal challenge from the main opposition party.
Speaking on Wednesday, President Museveni stated that opposition actors, primarily the National Unity Platform (NUP), printed one million fake ballot papers locally on Kampala’s Nkuruma Road and imported a further 1.7 million from Dubai. “So altogether, they cheated 2.7 million [votes],” he asserted, framing the alleged fraud as an escalation of long-term electoral malpractice in the city.
The allegations directly contradict the official results from the Electoral Commission, which recorded only about 550,604 valid votes cast in Kampala in 2021, where NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, secured an overwhelming majority.
In a swift and scathing response, Bobi Wine dismissed the claims as “ridiculous” and accused Museveni of being the true “election thief.” On social media, he highlighted that Museveni had previously claimed to have been cheated by one million votes, and now alleges 2.7 million. “This is the very person who engaged in shameless ballot stuffing, changed DR Forms, abducted our polling agents and committed many other crimes before declaring himself winner on gunpoint,” Wine stated.
The confrontation escalated with the revelation of a formal letter from the NUP to President Museveni, dated September 15, 2024. The letter, signed by President Robert Kyagulanyi, categorically rejects the fraud allegations and turns the challenge back on the President. It accuses Museveni of rigging the 2021 election—”the culmination of a brutal military operation”—and daring him to prove his claims.
The NUP’s letter issues two direct challenges: first, that President Museveni waive his presidential immunity in writing so the matter can be settled in court; and second, that he submit to a “credible, transparent and independent audit” of the 2021 electoral process by a reputable international body like the United Nations. The party pledges to present evidence of state-sponsored rigging and crimes, and agrees to prosecution if the audit finds them guilty, while demanding Museveni “step down” if it proves he “usurped the will of the people.”
These fiery exchanges occur against a backdrop of deep-seated distrust from the bitterly contested 2021 polls and as the country approaches the 2026 general elections. President Museveni framed the issue as a national stability concern, saying he has warned since 1962 about “the problem of contested elections.”
Analysts suggest the renewed war of words over 2021 sets a charged and contentious tone for the upcoming electoral cycle, with both sides actively rallying their bases and preparing to dispute the integrity of the future vote. The standoff remains unresolved, with the opposition’s call for an independent audit unmet and the President’s allegations unsubstantiated in a public forum.
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