Ramaphosa taking wait-and-see approach to re-election of Uganda's Museveni

21st January 2021 By: News24Wire

Ramaphosa taking wait-and-see approach to re-election of Uganda's Museveni

President Cyril Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa is taking a wait-and-see approach on the outcome of the Ugandan elections, which resulted in Yoweri Museveni being declared president for a sixth term.

"We have been loathe to make quick judgements and are paying close attention to the situation," International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor told an online briefing on South African foreign policy hosted by Chatham House.

"You would see for example that no statement has been issued as yet by South Africa," she said. She added:

President Ramaphosa as chair of the African Union is in communications with President Museveni and we hope that that great big country will attach to democracy and freedom, and that some of what we see in the media will come to an end.

It has been reported that, a week after the elections in Uganda, opposition candidate and musician Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, is still confined to his house, which has been surrounded by security forces.

Museveni received more than 58% of the vote and Kyagulanyi 35% in what the latter claimed was a rigged election, which saw 54 of his campaign team killed by security forces.

The elections has been criticised by countries like the US, which said the "unlawful actions" of harassing opposition campaigners and shutting down the internet as well as Kyagulanyi's "effective house arrest" continue "a worrying trend on the course of Uganda’s democracy".