By Burnett Munthali
Uganda’s incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is holding a strong lead in the country’s presidential election, with 76.25% of the vote counted from nearly half of polling stations.
His main challenger, Bobi Wine, trails behind with 19.85% of the vote. Museveni, who has been in office since 1986, expects to win with 80% of the vote, saying “if there’s no cheating”.
The election has been marred by controversy, with Wine’s National Unity Platform party alleging massive fraud and claiming Wine is under house arrest in Kampala.
The UN human rights office has expressed concerns about “widespread repression and intimidation” during the election.
The voting process was plagued by technical challenges, with some polling stations closed for up to four hours.
Security forces have been accused of disrupting opposition rallies and detaining supporters.
The internet blackout imposed during the election has also drawn criticism from international institutions.
