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Voting delayed in multiple Uganda polling stations: AFP

By The Standard January 15, 2026

Source: The Standard

Voting delayed in multiple Uganda polling stations: AFP

Polling stations in several parts of Uganda were still not open in many areas almost two hours after voting was due to start, AFP journalists and local sources said Thursday.President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is expected to extend his 40-year rule amid an internet shutdown and a police crackdown on the opposition, but faces a concerted challenge from singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, 43.AFP reporters in several parts of the capital, Kampala and the border city of Jinja said voting had yet to begin by 9:00 am (0600 GMT), with reports that ballot papers had not been delivered and biometric machines used to check voters' identities were not working."Nobody is here to tell us what is happening," said Abuza Monica Christine, a 56-year-old businesswoman in central Jinja.Follow The Standard
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on WhatsApp"It is deliberate. This is a stronghold of the opposition," she said.But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is expected to extend his 40-year rule amid an internet shutdown and a police crackdown on the opposition, but faces a concerted challenge from singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, 43.AFP reporters in several parts of the capital, Kampala and the border city of Jinja said voting had yet to begin by 9:00 am (0600 GMT), with reports that ballot papers had not been delivered and biometric machines used to check voters' identities were not working."Nobody is here to tell us what is happening," said Abuza Monica Christine, a 56-year-old businesswoman in central Jinja.Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp"It is deliberate. This is a stronghold of the opposition," she said.But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

AFP reporters in several parts of the capital, Kampala and the border city of Jinja said voting had yet to begin by 9:00 am (0600 GMT), with reports that ballot papers had not been delivered and biometric machines used to check voters' identities were not working."Nobody is here to tell us what is happening," said Abuza Monica Christine, a 56-year-old businesswoman in central Jinja.Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp"It is deliberate. This is a stronghold of the opposition," she said.But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"Nobody is here to tell us what is happening," said Abuza Monica Christine, a 56-year-old businesswoman in central Jinja.Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp"It is deliberate. This is a stronghold of the opposition," she said.But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"It is deliberate. This is a stronghold of the opposition," she said.But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

But AFP reporters said there were similar problems in central parts of Kampala that were not necessarily opposition areas."The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"The biometric machines are not working, so we don't know what’s going on," said Katomgole Juma, a 48-year-old artisan waiting to vote under a huge poster of President Yoweri Museveni in central Kampala."Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"Of course I am worried," he added. "People will be upset because they won't be certain of the result."It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

It was the same situation in a poor area of the city, a stronghold of opposition leader Wine."I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"I've been waiting for three hours without any reason given," said Tony Kaweesi, 21."We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

"We want to live in a country where the rule of law is followed. I'm feeling very tired, almost losing the morale to vote."A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

A ruling party official told AFP: "Some biometric machines are not working. I don't know if it's the internet. We have not got any information from the (electoral commission)".Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

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