Presidential Election in Uganda: Yoweri Museveni and Bobi Wine Face Off
Presidential and parliamentary elections in Uganda have faced significant delays and difficulties. An internet shutdown across the country has added to the logistical issues and caused growing dissatisfaction among voters, especially in the capital, Kampala. Voting has since commenced in most areas.
Causes of Voting Delays
Multiple factors have contributed to the voting delays, extending up to four hours in some areas. The main issues include the malfunctioning of biometric identification kits and insufficient equipment in certain locations. The interruption in network services is suspected to be a cause of these technical difficulties.
The election commission has recognized these technical problems and apologized. They assured that officials are doing their best to address the issues.
The Presidential Race
In this election, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is running for his seventh consecutive term as president. His main opponent is Bobi Wine, a popular 43-year-old musician.
Despite the commencement of voting, reports suggest that the biometric machines used for verifying voters' identities continue to malfunction in some areas. There have also been delays caused by the late arrival of voting materials and equipment at some polling stations.
Voters' Reaction
One voter in Kampala expressed his frustration, "It's infuriating that I haven't been able to vote yet. We were supposed to start at seven, but we haven't started yet. The ballot papers aren't even here, I don't know what to say."
There have been reports of some voters leaving the polling stations without voting due to the unresolved technical issues.
Widespread Issues
The technical problems seem to be widespread, affecting both government-supporting areas and opposition strongholds. Even Museveni, casting his vote in his native Rwakitura Village, faced difficulties with the biometric machine. "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.
Allegations of Irregularities
Bobi Wine alleges widespread irregularities and the arrest of his agents as voting commenced. In a post, he claimed, "The biometric machines have failed everywhere."
Election chief Simon Byabakama has ordered the use of the national voters' register where biometric machines have failed. The law allows for an extension of polling hours if voting gets disrupted, but it's unclear if this will be implemented.
Competition and Future Predictions
The presidential election is primarily a competition between Museveni and Wine. Museveni, having won the previous six elections, is predicted to extend his term. Wine, on the other hand, pledges to combat corruption and introduce sweeping reforms, contrasted with Museveni's claim of being the only guarantee of stability and progress.
Pre-Election Tensions and Internet Blackout
The lead-up to the election was marked by disruptions to opposition activities and allegations of assault and detainment of Wine's supporters by security forces. The internet was shut down on the grounds of preventing misinformation, fraud, and incitement of violence. This move, however, was criticized by the UN human rights office as "deeply troubling".
Wine's party, the National Unity Platform, has dismissed these reasons, accusing the regulator of trying to prevent the opposition from mobilizing and sharing evidence of election fraud. In response, they have launched an offline vote-monitoring app that uses Bluetooth technology to share images of the results forms from polling stations and voting data without needing internet access.