Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s election extending his four decades in power by another five years.
He gained 72% of the vote, the election commission announced, against 25% for his closest challenger Bobi Wine.
Museveni, 81, first came to power in 1986 but since then has won seven elections.
Announcing the results, electoral commission head Simon Byabakama asked supporters of both factions to embrace unity and accept the results.
Overall, fears that Uganda might experience violence of the kind that killed hundreds in neighbouring Tanzania after its elections in October did not appear to have been realised. There was heavy deployment of security before, during and after the elections a measure observers say is the reason there has been peace and tranquility across the country .
