Uganda’s opposition leader Bobi Wine said the country’s election had seen “widespread fraud and violence”, as votes trickled in Friday under an internet blackout.
The 38-year-old former popstar-turned-MP did not give details about his accusations, which contradicted the government’s account that Thursday’s vote had been largely peaceful.
The internet remained down for a third day as vote counting continued, with provisional results from 24 per cent of polling stations giving President Yoweri Museveni an early lead of 65 per cent while Wine trailed with 27 per cent.
The capital Kampala was quiet and some businesses remained closed, while soldiers and police patrolled on foot the day after the election. Full results are expected by Saturday afternoon.
Museveni is seeking a sixth term in office, having ruled for almost four decades, and his main rival among 10 opposition candidates is Wine, whose popularity among a youthful population has rattled the former rebel leader.
Voting in Kampala took place under the oppressive security presence of soldiers and riot police in the streets and at polling stations.
The election followed the most violent campaigns in years, with harassment and arrests of the opposition, attacks on the media and scores of deaths.
However, election commission chief Simon Mugenyi Byabakama said the vote had gone off in a “peaceful and tranquil manner”. Police spokesman Fred Enanga said there had been “no major cases of violence reported.”
But a senior foreign diplomat said there had been sporadic incidents of violence and many irregularities but no sign of mass manipulation.
