Ugandans are voting in a presidential election tainted by widespread violence that some fear could rise as security forces try to stop supporters of leading opposition challenger Bobi Wine from monitoring polling stations. Internet access has been cut off.
The vote count will begin when polls close at 4 p.m. and results are expected within 48 hours. More than 17 million people are registered voters in this East African country of 45 million people. A candidate must win more than 50% to avoid a runoff vote.
President Yoweri Museveni, an authoritarian who has been in power since 1986, seeks a sixth term against a strong challenger, Bobi Wine, a popular young singer, turned opposition lawmaker. Nine other challengers are trying to unseat Museveni.
"Museveni is putting all the deployments in urban areas where the opposition has an advantage,” said Gerald Bareebe, an assistant professor of political science at Canada’s York University. “If you ask many Ugandans now, they say the ballot paper is not worth my life.”
Some young people said they would vote despite the apparent risks.
Asked if the heavy military deployment fazed him, he said: “If we are to die, let us die. Now there is no difference between being alive and being dead. Bullets can find you anywhere, either at home or on the veranda.”
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