Museveni leads in Uganda’s election amid internet blackout

KAMPALA, Uganda

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is in the early lead Friday in the presidential elections in Uganda.

Preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission placed Museveni with 75.38% of the vote, with his closest challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi, 43, popularly known as Bobi Wine, a former pop star turned politician, is second with 20.71%.

Museveni won the 2021 election with 58.6%of the vote, while Wine was second at 34.8%.

The final results of the highly charged and consequential contest are expected Saturday. If no candidate wins with 50% +1, there will be a run-off.

Museveni commands support largely among individuals who have benefited from his 40-year rule. He campaigned on "Protecting the Gains," urging continuity and stability. Wine enjoys support from largely the youth and urban population who want change.

Wine told Anadolu that there is a heavy military presence around his house. The situation in Kampala remains calm but tense, with the city largely deserted as shops remain closed.

Benjamin Katana, a senior figure in Wine’s opposition party, said there is a lack of clarity about the way votes were tallied in the districts announced by the Electoral Commission, raising questions about the integrity of the process.

He told Anadolu that there has been voter intimidation, a security apparatus hostile to polling agents belonging to the opposition and a systematic failure of electronic biometric voting machines -- all pointing to concerns about delivering a free and fair election.

Campaigns were marred by widespread violence.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the government's growing repression of opposition in the run-up to the election

Museveni said Thursday that he also experienced technical failures of the voting machines at his polling station. Several voters told Anadolu that they voted manually due to the failures.

It is not clear whether the failures are linked to the internet blackout.

Uganda was plunged into an internet blackout Wednesday ahead of the Jan. 15 general elections. Communications authority directorNyombi Thembo said the measure is necessary to mitigate threats to national security during the election.

Rights groups have accused Museveni of using state patronage to maintain his grip on power, but he has denied the accusations and said his rule is due to popular support.