In a stunning and deeply controversial statement just hours before Ugandans head to the polls, a senior aide to President Yoweri Museveni has openly told citizens not to bother trying to influence the outcome because the long-ruling leader's victory is already guaranteed, and his son will eventually succeed him anyway.
Yiga Wamala, a Senior Presidential Adviser, delivered the blunt message in remarks that have sent shockwaves across Uganda and beyond:
“You will not see even the votes you are going to count.”
“If you are still crying for Museveni, Muhoozi Kainerugaba is coming also after Museveni. Are you going to kill each other? You shout and shout.”
The aide's words essentially advise voters to cast their ballots and then leave polling stations quickly without any expectation of participating in or witnessing a transparent count. The implication is clear: the process is already decided.
Here are official portraits of the key figures at the center of Uganda's high-stakes political drama
President Yoweri Museveni, now 81 and in power since 1986, is seeking an unprecedented seventh five-year term in Thursday's general election. His main challenger remains opposition figure Bobi Wine, but the playing field has long been criticized as heavily tilted in the incumbent's favor with reports of internet shutdowns, restricted opposition campaigns, and a tightly controlled security apparatus.
Adding fuel to the fire is the open positioning of Museveni's eldest son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the current Chief of Defence Forces, as the heir apparent.
Here are recent images of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the powerful military chief widely seen as next in line:
Muhoozi has repeatedly declared his intention to one day lead Uganda, and his rapid rise through the ranks has sparked intense debate about dynastic succession in a country that once fought against such concentrated power.
Critics have slammed Wamala's comments as a brazen admission that undermines any pretense of democracy, with many calling it an insult to millions of Ugandans who still believe in the power of their vote.
As the nation votes under the shadow of an internet blackout and heightened security, the aide's words raise a chilling question:
In a system where the outcome is publicly declared inevitable, what exactly is left for the ballot box?
Uganda's 2026 election may be remembered not just for who wins — but for how openly the game was called before a single vote was cast. The world is watching.