Millions of Ugandans went to the polls on Thursday in a tense presidential election that has already sparked controversy, with opposition candidate Robert Kyagulanyi – popularly known as Bobi Wine, alleging that the vote is being “stolen in real time.”
The election is a rematch of the disputed 2021 polls, pitting 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, against the 43-year-old pop star-turned-politician.
Museveni is seeking to extend his nearly four-decade rule, while Wine is contesting for a second time on the ticket of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
With 21.6 million registered voters, the process unfolded under a nationwide internet blackout and heavy military deployment. The Uganda Communications Commission said the shutdown was imposed on the “strong recommendations” of security agencies, describing it as a “precautionary intervention to ensure peace, protect national stability and prevent the misuse of communication platforms during a sensitive national exercise.”
However, critics argue that the blackout has undermined transparency and facilitated electoral malpractice. Wine accused the government of orchestrating widespread ballot stuffing, violently suppressing opposition participation, and deliberately disabling communication to conceal irregularities.
“Our agents have been arrested, abducted, or chased away from polling stations,” Wine said, adding that senior NUP officials, including his deputy for Western Uganda, were arrested on polling day. He also claimed that biometric voter verification machines failed across the country, further casting doubt on the credibility of the process.
The vote took place amid heightened tension, with hundreds of activists reportedly detained and journalists and human rights groups facing restrictions-measures the government says are necessary for security. Despite official assurances that the election was peaceful, international observers and rights groups have raised serious concerns.
The United States canceled its diplomatic observer mission after several staff members were denied accreditation to monitor the election. Other international actors have warned that the conditions under which the vote was held fall short of democratic standards.
Museveni, whose campaign rallies have dominated Kampala’s streets for the seventh consecutive election, has dismissed Wine as “an agent of foreign interests.” At his final rally, the veteran leader cited achievements in infrastructure and security, arguing that only his continued leadership can preserve stability.
Yet critics point to Museveni’s own words from 1986, when he wrote that Africa’s problem was leaders who overstay in power – a statement that now resonates strongly with a youthful electorate. Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with most citizens under 40 and having known no other president.
Frustration among young Ugandans has fueled support for Wine, who campaigns on promises to end what he calls “family rule,” amid growing speculation that Museveni’s son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is being positioned as his successor.
Uganda has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power between elected leaders since independence in 1962, making the stakes of this election especially high. As vote counting looms, fears of unrest persist, echoing the violence that followed the 2021 polls.
For many Ugandans, however, the election despite its flaws remains a rare opportunity to voice long-standing grievances against an entrenched political order.
