On May 9, 1996, Uganda indeed held a presidential election, but President Yoweri Museveni won with 74.20% of the vote, not over 78%. This election marked a significant step in Uganda’s journey towards restoring peace and democracy after a decade of civil war. Museveni, who had taken power in 1986, ran as an independent candidate, as political parties were banned at the time.
His main opponents were Paul Ssemogerere, who garnered 23.73% of the vote, and Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja. The voter turnout was 72.58% out of 8,492,154 registered voters.
This election was notable because it was the first presidential election in 16 years, following a period of dictatorship and political strife in Uganda. The country’s electoral system has undergone significant changes since then, including the restoration of multiparty politics in 2005.
