KAMPALA-(MaraviPost)-Votes are being counted in parts of Uganda amid an internet shutdown and opposition accusations of rigging in presidential and parliamentary elections.
Long delays have frustrated voters in the capital and beyond, with some waiting up to four hours to cast their ballots.
“Massive ballot-stuffing reported everywhere,” declared presidential hopeful Bobi Wine in a post on social media, without providing documentary proof.
The authorities have not responded to his allegations of electoral fraud, nor to his claim that “many” polling agents and supervisors belonging to his NUP party were “abducted, and others chased off polling stations”.
Delays of up to four hours have been blamed on malfunctioning biometric machines used to verify voters’ identities.
Some have linked the problems to the network outage – plus a lack of voting materials, and equipment not arriving at some stations on time.
Polling stations therefore closed later than planned, leaving some voters frustrated and unable to cast their ballots.
The electoral commission says that anybody who joined the queue by 17:00 local time (14:00GMT) was able to cast their ballot.
Earlier on, the electoral agency apologised for the “technical glitches” and said officials were working to resolve them.
In the presidential race, Yoweri Museveni, 81, in power since 1986, is seeking a seventh successive victory as he faces a challenge from Bobi Wine, a charismatic 43-year-old pop star.
The result of the presidential vote will be announced by 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday, the electoral commission has said.
Voting had finished by 18:00 local time in the polling stations in the capital, Kampala visited by the BBC, despite the delays.
While data on turnout has not yet been published, this suggests that some people may have gone home without voting.
However, others were determined to cast their ballots and there was widespread frustration at the problems in the morning.
“I’m angry because I have not voted up to now. We are meant to start at seven, but up to now [08:00] we haven’t started. The ballots papers are not even there, I don’t even know what to say,” Kaweesi Ismail, a voter in Kampala, told the BBC.
The ballot papers were counted in front of large crowds at this polling station in Kampala, adding to the tension and scrutiny surrounding the electoral process.
Election chief Simon Byabakama ordered the use of the national voters’ register where biometric machines failed to function, in an effort to mitigate the technical issues.
The problems appear to have affected both areas seen as pro-government as well as those thought to be opposition strongholds, raising concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.
Casting his vote in his native Rwakitura Village in the western Mbarara region, President Museveni said he had also experienced difficulties.
“I put my thumbprint on the machine but it did not accept it. However, my face was accepted instantly by the machine. The machine works,” he said.
Asked if he would accept the election outcome, the president said: “This is one of the manipulations – we have to find out why, what was the problem?”
“We are now verifying whether this was deliberate,” he added, fueling speculation about the legitimacy of the electoral process.
Museveni once criticised African leaders who cling to power, but now he wants a seventh term, raising questions about his commitment to democratic principles.
Bobi Wine, the ‘hounded’ pop star taking on Uganda’s long-time president, has promised to tackle corruption and impose sweeping reforms if elected.
The presidential poll is essentially a two-horse race between Museveni and Wine, but given the president has won the six previous elections, analysts say he is likely to further extend his time in power.
Wine’s supporters have faced escalating harassment, including arrest on politically motivated charges, according to both the United Nations and Amnesty International.
The campaign period was marred by the disruption of opposition activities, with security forces accused of assaulting and detaining Wine’s supporters.
Internet access was suspended on Tuesday, with Uganda’s Communications Commission saying the blackout was necessary to prevent misinformation, fraud and the incitement of violence.
The NUP has rejected this explanation, accusing the regulator of trying to stop the opposition from mobilising and sharing evidence of election fraud.
The party has launched an offline vote-monitoring app in case of a blackout, using Bluetooth technology to share images of the results forms from polling stations and voting data without internet access.
The former leader of a guerrilla army, Museveni has benefitted from two constitutional amendments – removing age and term limits – that have allowed him to keep running for office.
Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, lost to the president in the 2021 elections, although Wine dismissed the results, alleging fraud.
Alongside Museveni and Wine, six other presidential candidates are on this year’s ballot papers, but the race is largely seen as a contest between the incumbent and the opposition leader.
Voters will also chose a new parliament, with 353 seats up for grabs, in an election that is being closely watched by the international community.
For many of those voting on Thursday, the economy is the key issue, with concerns about poor infrastructure and disparities in access to quality education and healthcare.
The majority of the population is under 30, and although the average income is steadily rising, there are not enough jobs for all the young people looking for work.
The head of Uganda’s electoral body told the BBC he has received threats warning him against declaring certain results, adding to the tension and uncertainty surrounding the election.
