KAMPALA — Voting is currently underway in Uganda’s presidential and parliamentary elections, but the process is being disrupted by technical glitches, missing equipment, and a nationwide internet blackout.
In Kampala, voters at several polling stations grew frustrated as officials struggled to get faulty biometric identification kits working. “We arrived early at the polling station, but the voting equipment has not yet arrived,” one voter told state-run UBC TV.
Some ruling party officials acknowledged the problems, telling AFP that “some biometric machines are not working. I don’t know if it’s the internet.” The delays are affecting both government and opposition strongholds.
More than 21 million Ugandans are registered to vote. The presidential race pits President Yoweri Museveni, 81, who has ruled since 1986, against Bobi Wine, the 43-year-old singer-turned-politician promising reforms and a crackdown on corruption. Analysts still see Museveni as the favourite, given his decades-long hold on power.
The campaign period has been tense, with opposition rallies facing disruption, arrests, and harassment. Amnesty International described the lead-up to the vote as “a brutal campaign of repression,” citing tear gas, beatings, and other violent acts. Police reject the claims, saying opposition supporters “have been disruptive.”
The internet shutdown, imposed by Uganda’s Communications Commission, has drawn international criticism. Authorities say it is needed to prevent misinformation and election violence, while the UN called the blackout “deeply worrying.” The NUP says it is a move to hinder opposition mobilisation.
Security in Kampala is heightened, with patrols and armoured vehicles deployed. Some residents are voting in rural areas, citing safety concerns. “Because Ugandan elections are often violent, I decided to re-register my polling centre in my home village,” one voter said anonymously.
Simon Byabakama, head of Uganda’s Electoral Commission, confirmed he has received threats but pledged that only voters’ ballots will determine the outcome. “I am not in the business of donating votes,” he said.
Polls will close at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT), with those in line at that hour still allowed to vote. The Electoral Commission expects to announce the presidential results by Saturday.
Ugandans are casting their votes amid high tension, technical delays, and heavy security, with the result set to shape the nation’s political future for years to come.
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