IN PICTURES: Confusion, anxiety as voting in Uganda delays

Millions of voters who turned up to vote for their candidates in Uganda elections were disappointed after prolonged delays in the commencement of the exercise.

By 7am, which was to be the official time for commencement of voting, most polling stations in Kampala, for instance, had not received voting materials with voters growing impatient.

In most polling stations in Uganda’s capital Kampala, voters had to wait for hours on the queue for the process to start, and even when the EC finally delivered ballot boxes, the process had to be delayed over missing ballot papers and indelible ink.

On Wednesday, EC chair Badru Kiggundu had said that preparations were complete exuding confidence of handling the election process in a free and fair manner.

The confusion has poked holes in the EC’s promises with a section of the voters linking it to plans to rig the election in favour of the incumbent Yoweri Museveni.

Reports indicate that despite the delay in commencement, voting time will not be extended beyond 4pm with anyone not on the queue by that time being locked out of the process.

Critics have termed the presidential contest as the toughest in Uganda’s political history with Museveni facing stiff competition from his former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, fiercest rival Kizza Besigye and five other candidates.

While Mbabazi is making his first shot at the presidency, Besigye has lost in the past three attempts and will be seeking to capture the seat in the February 18th polls.

Other candidates whose names are on the ballot paper include former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, Pastor Joseph Mabirizi, Bwanika Abed, Maureen Kyala and Benon Biraaro.

@benjaminwafula