The Presidential candidate for the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has threatened to embark on nationwide protests if the ongoing election in Uganda is rigged, as reports of delays and technical issues at polling stations raise tensions across the country.
However, the long-serving President Yoweri Museveni is seeking a seventh consecutive term against Bobi Wine and six other contenders.
The election, already marked by violence and arrests of opposition supporters, has put the nation on edge.
International media reports indicate that by 8:00 a.m. local time, most polling stations in the capital, Kampala, had not opened, despite an official start scheduled for 7:00 a.m.
Electoral officials attributed the delays to malfunctions in biometric voter identification kits, while others cited the effects of an internet and network shutdown that began the night before.
Bobi Wine, whose campaign has energised a significant number of young voters, told journalists that the people of Uganda should be prepared to act if the election lacks transparency.
“We have said it many times: if Yoweri Museveni rigs the election, we shall call for protests. We have put the people of Uganda on notice. We are not just calling for protests; we are calling on Ugandans to take charge. We are definitely winning the election,” he stated.
President Museveni, meanwhile, addressed the media after casting his vote, emphasising the need for vigilance among electoral agents.
“The agents need to be vigilant, but many times they are not. In the last election, the opposition received 2.7 million votes. That is why this time we say, let’s go electronic,” he said.
