This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-35601220
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Uganda election: Facebook and Whatsapp blocked | Uganda election: Facebook and Whatsapp blocked |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Social media has been blocked in Uganda on the day of presidential elections to stop people "telling lies", President Yoweri Museveni has said. | Social media has been blocked in Uganda on the day of presidential elections to stop people "telling lies", President Yoweri Museveni has said. |
| Mr 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. | Mr 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. |
| Voting has been cancelled at one polling station in the capital Kampala after clashes with police. | Voting has been cancelled at one polling station in the capital Kampala after clashes with police. |
| Seven opposition candidates are running against Mr Museveni. | Seven opposition candidates are running against Mr Museveni. |
| Uganda decides: Live updates | Uganda decides: Live updates |
| Uganda's election explained | Uganda's election explained |
| Interviewed on TV about social media, Mr Museveni said: "Some people misuse those pathways. You know how they misuse them - telling lies. | |
| "If you want a right then use it properly." | |
| His main challenger is his former physician, Kizza Besigye who has said he does not think the election will be free and fair. | His main challenger is his former physician, Kizza Besigye who has said he does not think the election will be free and fair. |
| Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi is also seen as a leading contender for the presidency. | Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi is also seen as a leading contender for the presidency. |
| Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and mobile money services have been blocked. | Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and mobile money services have been blocked. |
| Despite this, #UgandaDecides is still trending on Twitter. | Despite this, #UgandaDecides is still trending on Twitter. |
| Many people have found a way around the controversial restrictions, including Mr Mbabazi who tweeted advice on how to do it: | Many people have found a way around the controversial restrictions, including Mr Mbabazi who tweeted advice on how to do it: |
| A VPN - a Virtual Private Network - gets round government censorship by redirecting your internet activity to a computer in a different country. | A VPN - a Virtual Private Network - gets round government censorship by redirecting your internet activity to a computer in a different country. |
| The head of Uganda's media regulator, Godfrey Mutabazi, said the block was introduced after a request from the electoral commission, local media reports. | The head of Uganda's media regulator, Godfrey Mutabazi, said the block was introduced after a request from the electoral commission, local media reports. |
| He added that it was to make sure the services would not be used to bribe voters. | He added that it was to make sure the services would not be used to bribe voters. |
| Uganda's leading mobile operator MTN, which has 10 million users, confirmed that it had received an order to shut down social media services. | Uganda's leading mobile operator MTN, which has 10 million users, confirmed that it had received an order to shut down social media services. |
| The election has been marred by delays of up to five hours at some polling stations. | The election has been marred by delays of up to five hours at some polling stations. |
| The electoral commission said difficulties in transporting electoral materials caused the delays and agreed to extend voting for three hours until 19:00 local (16:00 GMT) in some polling stations. | |
| The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga in the capital, Kampala, reports that thousands of people who had queued for hours got visibly frustrated over the delays. | The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga in the capital, Kampala, reports that thousands of people who had queued for hours got visibly frustrated over the delays. |
| Security forces were sent in to calm the situation, she adds. | Security forces were sent in to calm the situation, she adds. |
| 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. | Ugandans are also voting in parliamentary and local elections. |
| Major presidential contenders: | Major presidential contenders: |
| Uganda election: Issues, candidates and the poll | Uganda election: Issues, candidates and the poll |
| Uganda election: Old guard tries new tactics | Uganda election: Old guard tries new tactics |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |