A senior presidential aide to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Yiga Wamala, has stirred controversy after asserting that the country’s long-serving leader will not lose power through the ballot box.
In a viral video that has generated widespread debate, Wamala downplayed the significance of voters staying at polling units, claiming that citizens and party agents would not be involved in counting votes during elections.
According to him, the voting process would be handled entirely by machines, leaving voters with no role beyond casting their ballots.
“We don’t have a mandate to remain at polling stations. You’ll just be there like dormant people. Vote and go home. You will not count the votes,” Wamala said, dismissing the relevance of election observers.
He further claimed that voters would not witness the counting process, insisting that machines would handle everything. “You will not even see the votes you cast. The machines will count them. So what are you staying to watch?” he added.
Wamala also suggested that access to collation centres would be tightly restricted, saying only a few individuals would be allowed. “At the tally centre, we shall only allow two people — the candidate and two others,” he stated.
The aide categorically ruled out the possibility of an opposition victory, singling out leading opposition figure Bobi Wine.
“Don’t even think for a moment that we will announce Bobi Wine as the winner,” he said.
He insisted that President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for more than three decades, would remain in office. “The president who is on the chair will still remain on the chair,” Wamala declared.
Wamala also told voters not to expect a change in power through elections, saying, “Never think that Museveni will lose power through voting. Don’t waste your time.”
Beyond defending the current administration, Wamala hinted at a possible succession within the Museveni family. He suggested that Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the 51-year-old Chief of Defence Forces, could succeed his father.
“If you are still complaining about Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba is also coming after him,” Wamala said.
President Museveni, now 81, is contesting for a seventh term in the upcoming election. He first took power in 1986 and has remained Uganda’s leader ever since.
While Museveni initially came to power promising an end to autocratic rule, his long presidency has faced increasing criticism, with allegations of corruption, shrinking civic space and growing authoritarianism gradually eroding the optimism that once surrounded his leadership.