Uganda begins voting in presidential, parliamentary elections

(MENAFN) Voting got underway across Uganda on Thursday as citizens headed to the polls to elect a president and members of parliament, a pivotal moment for a country governed for decades by President Yoweri Museveni.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and are scheduled to close at 4 p.m., marking a full day of voting nationwide.

Museveni, 81, is seeking a seventh term after remaining in power since 1986. He is competing against seven challengers, among them 43-year-old opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, a former reggae musician who transitioned into politics and finished second in the previous election.

Ahead of the vote, opposition candidate Bobi Wine said that an internet shutdown was being used to restrict communication and undermine the electoral process, according to earlier statements.

The head of the electoral commission told local outlets earlier this week that official results would be announced within 48 hours after polling concludes, in line with national law. “What the voters will say is what I will declare to the nation, it is them who determine the president of the country, not me” he said.

In several areas of the capital, Kampala, and nearby districts, long queues formed outside polling centers. However, voting in some locations began late due to delays in the delivery of election materials, as observed by reports.

Uganda’s presidential race operates under a two-round system, requiring a runoff if no candidate secures more than half of the valid votes cast.

The country’s parliament consists of 556 members. This includes 353 lawmakers elected directly, 146 district woman representatives, 30 members representing the army, youth, workers, older persons, and people with disabilities, as well as 27 ex officio members such as the vice president and cabinet ministers, who do not have voting rights in parliament.

Voter registration has increased significantly, with approximately 21.6 million people eligible to vote, compared with 18.1 million during the last election cycle.

The campaign period leading up to the vote was marked by limits on public rallies and media activity, alongside the deployment of security forces throughout the country.