Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of Thursday’s election, extending his 40-year grip on power for another five years.

Chairman of the Ugandan electoral commission, Simon Byabakama, declared Mr Museveni the winner of the election on Saturday.

According to the electoral umpire, Mr Museveni polled 72 per cent of the votes, while his main challenger, Bobi Wine, a music star, polled 25 per cent.

Mr Wine has dismissed the election result as fake in an X post on Saturday, adding he is in hiding from criminals.

“I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them,” Mr Wine said. “Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe.”

Mr Museveni, who assumed power in 1986, is winning the election for the seventh term in office since the introduction of direct elections in 1996.

The Ugandan strongman has won every single election with a huge margin since the country began direct elections.

In 1996, Mr Museveni won his first direct election with 75.5 per cent of the vote, and in 2001, he was reelected with 69.3 per cent of the vote.

Mr Museveni secured a third term in office in 2006, winning the first multi-party election with 59 per cent of the vote.

In 2011 and 2016, he was reelected with 68 and 60.7 per cent of the vote, respectively. Mr Museveni secured a sixth term in office in 2021 with 58.6 per cent of the vote to defeat his closest rival Mr Wine.