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Uganda election: apology over voting delays | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Uganda's electoral commission has apologised over delays in opening polling stations as people queue to vote in crucial elections. | |
Difficulties in transporting electoral materials caused the delays, it said. | |
President Yoweri Museveni, 71, is seeking to extend his 30-year rule, in a race widely seen as the tightest in the East African state's history. | |
Seven opposition candidates are running against him. His main challenger is his former physician, Kizza Besigye. | |
Mr Besigye has said he does not think the election will be free and fair. | |
Uganda decides: Live updates | |
Uganda's election explained | Uganda's election explained |
Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi is also seen as a leading contender for the presidency. | |
The electoral commission said that despite the delays, voting will not be extended. | |
A candidate needs to secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright and avoid a run-off with the second-ranked contender. | A candidate needs to secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright and avoid a run-off with the second-ranked contender. |
Ugandans are also voting in parliamentary and local elections. | |
Human rights groups have reported an intensifying government crackdown on opposition leaders, their supporters and the media during the election campaign. | Human rights groups have reported an intensifying government crackdown on opposition leaders, their supporters and the media during the election campaign. |
One person was killed on Monday in clashes between Mr Besigye's supporters and the security forces in the capital, Kampala. | |
Mr Museveni has been in office since winning a five-year guerrilla war in 1986, and he is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders. | |
His final term was meant to end in 2006, but in 2005 he won a campaign to lift the constitutional term limits. | His final term was meant to end in 2006, but in 2005 he won a campaign to lift the constitutional term limits. |
Mr Besigye has unsuccessfully challenged his former comrade-in-arms in the last three presidential elections | Mr Besigye has unsuccessfully challenged his former comrade-in-arms in the last three presidential elections |
Mr Mbabazi is another former ally of President Museveni. He served as prime minister in 2011-2014, when he was dismissed after announcing he would launch a rival presidential bid. | Mr Mbabazi is another former ally of President Museveni. He served as prime minister in 2011-2014, when he was dismissed after announcing he would launch a rival presidential bid. |
During the election campaign the two opposition candidates accused the president of corruption and criticised his economic policies. | During the election campaign the two opposition candidates accused the president of corruption and criticised his economic policies. |
Mr Museveni dismissed the allegations as fiction. | Mr Museveni dismissed the allegations as fiction. |
Major issues for voters also include persistently high unemployment and poor quality of public services. | Major issues for voters also include persistently high unemployment and poor quality of public services. |