Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni extends 30-year rule

President Yoweri Museveni has won Uganda's presidential election. Credit: Reuters

President Yoweri Museveni has won Uganda's presidential election, giving him a further 5-years in power.

Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986, won 60.8% of the vote according to electoral commission data. His main rival Kizza Besigye won 35.4%.

Besigye has rejected the vote as a "sham" and has called for an independent audit of the results.

Armed police block the driveway outside the home of opposition candidate Kizza Besigye. Credit: PA

US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed concern over the detention of Uganda's main opposition candidate and harassment of opposition party members in a call to President Yoweri Museveni on Friday,the State Department said.

"He urged President Museveni to rein in the police and security forces, noting that such action calls into question Uganda's commitment to a transparent and credible election process free from intimidation," they added.

European Union observers said the election was conducted in an "intimidating atmosphere" and said the country's electoral commission is not independent.

Security forces beat an opposition supporter. Credit: Reuters

"The EC (electoral commission) lacks independence, transparency and the trust of stakeholders," Eduard Kukan, chief observer for the EU mission, told reporters in Kampala.

He said the dominance of the political space by President Yoweri Museveni's ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party "distorted the fairness of the campaign and state actors created an intimidating atmosphere for both voters and candidates".