Police in Uganda have denied allegations that presidential candidate Bobi Wine was abducted on Friday evening as vote counting continues in the East African nation amid an internet blackout.
Wine's party said a helicopter landed in the grounds of his house in the capital, Kampala, and forcibly took him to an unknown location.
Initially Wine's son, Solomon Kampala, said both his parents had been seized, but later claimed his father escaped and only his mother was being held, leading to confusion over the whereabouts of the opposition leader.
The latest electoral figures from Thursday's vote give Museveni 72% of the vote, with Wine on 24%, based on returns from 94% of polling stations.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday morning, police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said the National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader was still in his home in Kampala and that it was Wine's family members who were spreading untrue and unfounded claims.
He said Wine's movements were restricted because his home was an area of security interest. Rusoke asserted, All our actions are intended to prevent anybody from creating violence or destabilising our security.\
On Friday, Wine had told his supporters to ignore the fake results that have been announced, saying the authorities have been stealing the vote without providing evidence. Internet access remains severely limited, complicating communication and verification of details.
The police's denial of the abduction allegations comes amidst rising tensions surrounding the electoral process, with reports of violence against opposition members and restrictions on civil liberties highlighted in various sources.
