Uganda Votes Under Tension As Internet Shutdown And Security Crackdown Raise Fears

Voting has begun in Uganda amid a tense and highly charged general election, with President Yoweri Museveni widely expected to extend his more than 40-year grip on power. The polls are taking place under heavy security, marked by opposition arrests, fears of violence, and a nationwide internet blackout.

The closely watched polls opened on Thursday after authorities ordered mobile network operators to suspend public internet access from Tuesday evening, a move announced by a government regulatory agency.

Although polling stations typically open slowly in Uganda, voting was underway shortly after 7:00am (04:00 GMT) in parts of Kampala, AFP journalists reported. Elsewhere, including the eastern border town of Jinja, police and military patrols were visibly deployed.

Election officials said partial results are expected later in the day once voting ends.

More than 21.6 million voters are registered to participate. With about 70 percent of the population under the age of 35, unemployment remains a major concern, particularly for young and first-time voters.

Reflecting public anxiety, the Daily Monitor newspaper published a full-page guide on how to “election-proof your home,” urging residents to reinforce doors and windows and identify a safe space in case of unrest.

The United Nations Human Rights Office on Wednesday emphasised that “open access to communication & information is key to free & genuine elections.”

“All Ugandans must be able to take part in shaping their future & the future of their country,” the agency said.

President Museveni, 81, has faced years of criticism over alleged repression of dissent, including arrests of opposition leaders and their supporters.

His main challenger is musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, whose campaign events have repeatedly been disrupted by security forces. As in the 2021 election cycle, hundreds of his supporters have been detained ahead of Thursday’s vote.

Wine has appeared at rallies wearing a flak jacket, calling the election a “war” and describing Museveni as a “military dictator.”

“We are very aware that they are planning to rig the election, to brutalise people, to kill people, and they don’t want the rest of the world to see,” Bobi Wine told AFP.

Last week, the UN Human Rights Office warned that the election was taking place amid “widespread repression and intimidation against the political opposition, human rights defenders, journalists and those with dissenting views.”

Meanwhile, the Uganda Communications Commission defended the internet shutdown, saying it was intended to prevent “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks.”