At least seven people were killed in violence overnight in central Uganda, police said on Friday, following national elections that looked set to extend veteran President Yoweri Museveni’s rule into a fifth decade.
Results announced by the electoral commission showed Museveni with over 75% of votes in Thursday’s presidential election, based on tallies from 59% of polling stations. His main challenger, popular singer Bobi Wine, trailed on about 21% and the remaining votes were split among six other candidates.
After a campaign marred by clashes at opposition rallies and what the United Nations said was widespread repression and intimidation, voting passed peacefully on Thursday.
But violence broke out overnight in the town of Butambala, about 55 km (35 miles) southwest of the capital Kampala, according to a police spokesperson and a member of parliament from the area, who gave differing accounts of events.
Local police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe said machete-wielding opposition “goons” organised by local MP Muwanga Kivumbi attacked a police station and vote-tallying centre.
“Security responded in self-defence because these people came in big numbers. Police fired in self defence,” she told Reuters, adding that 25 people were arrested.