Overview
- Polls open Thursday with President Yoweri Museveni seeking to extend nearly four decades in power against opposition leader Bobi Wine.
- Authorities cut internet access and limited mobile services nationwide on Tuesday, saying the steps would curb misinformation about the vote.
- Security forces have deployed across Kampala, and Wine’s lawyer alleges the capital was divided into military districts while cautioning that protesters face grave risks.
- The U.N. and Amnesty International cite a climate of repression and intimidation; hundreds of Wine supporters have been arrested and at least one person was killed at a campaign event, which officials describe as a response to lawlessness.
- Uganda’s youthful demographic shapes the race as young voters split between change and continuity, and officials expect results within 48 hours of polls closing.