By Amos Ssemuwemba
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has formally responded to recent allegations made by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, claiming that the opposition party rigged one million votes in the 2021 presidential election. In a letter dated September 15, 2024, the NUP, led by Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert (Bobi Wine), dismissed the accusations as baseless and instead accused Museveni of orchestrating the rigging himself.
Addressed to “Mr. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa, Former Presidential Candidate,” the letter refutes the claim, stressing that the 2021 election was one of the most fraudulent in the country’s history. NUP states, “The 2021 election – the culmination of a brutal military operation you waged against us throughout the presidential campaigns – is potentially the most rigged election in history. You know that you did not win that election.”
Kyagulanyi, who contested in the 2021 election results, took the matter to social media, posting on X (formerly Twitter) a challenge to Museveni. “Last week, election thief Gen. Yoweri Museveni made wild claims that the National Unity Platform rigged the last election by one million votes! The same man who rigged and usurped the will of the people of Uganda in broad daylight. He challenged us to take him to court. Today, I wrote to him informing him that we are taking on the challenge!” he posted.
In the letter, NUP calls on Museveni to waive his presidential immunity so that the two sides can meet in court to settle the dispute. Furthermore, the NUP has challenged Museveni to allow an independent, transparent audit of the 2021 election, overseen by an international body such as the United Nations. NUP insists that they are ready to present their evidence, which includes proof of the alleged rigging, and crimes committed by Museveni before, during, and after the election.
“If the audit proves that we engaged in any form of election rigging as you claim, we should be prosecuted in accordance with the law. If, on the other hand, the audit proves that you robbed us of our victory, you must step down and allow the people of Uganda to be led by a government of their choosing,” NUP asserts in the letter.
The political landscape in Uganda remains tense as both sides prepare for a potential court battle or audit, with the NUP determined to expose what they allege was widespread rigging in the previous election.
