Keypoints:
- Biometric failures delayed voting across Uganda
- Museveni admits he struggled to cast his ballot
- Internet shutdown draws UN concern
UGANDA’S presidential election was thrown into disarray on Thursday after widespread technical failures delayed voting across large parts of the country, with President Yoweri Museveni admitting that even he encountered problems casting his ballot.
Museveni, 81, who is seeking to extend his nearly four decades in power, told journalists that biometric voter verification machines failed to recognise his fingerprints. ‘I put my right thumbprint. The machine did not accept it. I put my left, it did not accept it,’ he said. According to the president, the system only worked after officials switched to facial recognition, allowing him to vote.
The president’s remarks confirmed reports from across Uganda that technical glitches had significantly disrupted polling, raising fresh concerns about the credibility and management of the vote.
Delays and malfunctioning equipment
In many districts, polling stations failed to open on time as biometric machines malfunctioned or failed to arrive altogether. Election officials said delays in delivering ballot boxes and verification equipment meant that voting in some areas started hours late, while frustrated voters waited in long queues.
Biometric verification is central to Uganda’s electoral system and is designed to prevent fraud by confirming voter identities. However, repeated failures on election day undermined confidence in the process and sparked anger among voters who feared they would be unable to cast their ballots.
Some election observers and opposition figures linked the technical breakdowns to the nationwide internet blackout imposed by the government earlier in the week, which restricted access to social media and messaging platforms.
The election is widely seen as a defining moment for Uganda’s democracy, with Museveni facing his strongest challenge in years from a youthful opposition amid growing domestic and international scrutiny over electoral integrity, civil liberties and the concentration of power.
Internet shutdown and security clampdown
The government defended the internet shutdown, saying it was necessary to curb the spread of ‘misinformation’ and ‘incitement to violence’ during the sensitive election period. Connectivity remained restricted throughout polling day, limiting real-time reporting from voting centres and complicating independent monitoring efforts.
The move was criticised by the United Nations, which described the shutdown as ‘deeply worrying’ and warned that cutting access to information during elections risks undermining fundamental rights and public trust.
Security was also visibly tightened across the country. Armed police and soldiers were deployed near polling stations in urban areas, particularly in and around Kampala. Police issued statements warning that the election period was ‘not a justification for criminal acts’, a message opposition supporters interpreted as a signal of zero tolerance for protests.
Opposition challenge and rising tensions
Museveni’s main challenger, Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old singer-turned-politician, has built his campaign around calls for political reform, job creation and an end to corruption. Wine has repeatedly accused the authorities of using security forces, administrative obstacles and digital restrictions to tilt the playing field in favour of the incumbent.
Opposition activists said the combination of delayed voting, internet restrictions and heavy security presence created an atmosphere of intimidation, particularly in opposition strongholds. Government officials rejected those claims, insisting the vote was proceeding peacefully despite logistical challenges.
When asked who he voted for, Museveni offered a broad response, saying his ballot was cast for anyone ‘who believes in Uganda… who believes in Africa’, an appeal to national unity as criticism mounted.
As counting begins, attention will turn to whether the technical failures and internet blackout affected turnout and results — and whether the outcome will deepen or ease Uganda’s long-running political tensions.
