KAMPALA — Provisional results from the Uganda Electoral Commission show incumbent President Yoweri Museveni taking an early lead in his bid for a seventh term, amid nationwide internet blackout.
With the valid votes counted, the 81-year-old Museveni, who has held power since 1986, currently stands at 61 percent while his closest rival; pop star-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, follows with 33.64 percent
Reports indicate that the election on Thursday was marked by a heavy security presence and significant technical delays.
In several districts, including the capital, Kampala, biometric voter verification machines failed, forcing many polling stations to switch to manual registers and extending voting hours by an extra hour to accommodate frustrated voters.
The 43-year-old Bobi Wine, representing the National Unity Platform (NUP), has campaigned on a platform of generational change, appealing strongly to Uganda’s young electorate.
Meanwhile NUP candidate Bobi has already alleged “massive ballot stuffing” and urged his supporters to protect their votes non-violently.
“Massive ballot-stuffing reported everywhere,” declared presidential hopeful Bobi Wine in a post on social media, without providing documentary proof.
According to the Electoral Commission, the final results are expected within 48 hours of the polls closing.
Under Ugandan law, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.
