Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni (Photo by Sumy SADRUNI / AFP/ Getty Images)
KAMPALA — Early provisional results from Uganda’s high-stakes presidential election show incumbent President Yoweri Museveni taking an initial lead, as the country navigates a day marked by technical failures, heavy security, and a nationwide internet shutdown.
According to data released late Thursday by the Electoral Commission (EC), Museveni has garnered 61% of the vote in the earliest batch of results. His primary challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu—popularly known as Bobi Wine—currently follows with 33%.
A Fragmented Picture
Election officials emphasized that these figures represent less than 1% of the total expected tally. With over 21.6 million registered voters and more than 50,000 polling stations across the country, the vast majority of ballots are still being processed.
Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairman of the Electoral Commission, advised the public to remain patient as the tallying continues overnight.
The Commission is scheduled to provide its next comprehensive update tomorrow morning, Friday, January 16, at 9:00 AM.
Technical Glitches and Polling Extensions
The voting process today was far from smooth. Reports from the capital, Kampala, and the surrounding Jinja district indicated significant delays, with some polling stations remaining closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7:00 AM start.
The EC blamed these delays on “technical glitches,” specifically citing the failure of biometric voter identification kits.
In many areas, officials were forced to revert to manual paper registers to prevent disenfranchisement. Due to these setbacks, the Commission extended voting time by an hour in affected constituencies to accommodate those still waiting in line.
High Tensions and Information Blackout
The election is being held under a shadow of intense security and restricted communication. The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) imposed a suspension of mobile internet services earlier this week, a move the government claims was necessary to prevent “misinformation and incitement of violence.”
Bobi Wine, who cast his vote alongside his wife earlier today, has slammed the blackout as a “tactic for fraud.”
“The biometric machines are not working, the internet is off, and our agents are being harassed. This is not a free process, but we call on Ugandans to remain non-violent and protect their vote,” Wine stated after leaving his polling station.
The Stakes
At 81, President Museveni is interested in seeking a seventh term that would extend his 40-year rule into a fifth decade. For Wine, 43, the election represents a generational battle, banking on a massive youth turnout to upend the status quo.
Under Ugandan law, the final results must be declared within 48 hours of the polls closing. As the sun sets on a tense polling day, all eyes remain on the national tally center for tomorrow’s 9:00 AM update.
