Uganda's Electoral Commission Chairman, Simon Byabakama, stated that he has received threats related to the declaration of winners in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for Thursday. Byabakama, responding to questions from the BBC, asserted that these threats, allegedly from senior state officials, would not influence the commission's work.

Byabakama addressed concerns stemming from a widely circulated video showing a presidential assistant claiming that opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, would not be declared president, even in the event of a victory. "Some people say if you don't declare so-and-so as president, you will see. I tell them that I am not in the business of donating votes," Byabakama said. He emphasized that voters, not threats, would determine the election outcome.

The election pits incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, 81, against Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old pop star turned politician. Museveni, who has been in power for nearly four decades, is seeking a seventh term. Wine is attempting to unseat Museveni for the second time, having finished as runner-up in the 2021 polls. Six other candidates are also in the running.

The context of the threats remains unclear, and Byabakama did not identify the specific state officials allegedly involved. The Electoral Commission is constitutionally mandated to oversee and conduct elections in Uganda. The upcoming election is viewed as a significant test of Uganda's democratic processes, given Museveni's lengthy tenure and previous allegations of electoral irregularities. The commission is expected to announce the results within 48 hours of the polls closing, as stipulated by Ugandan law.