Votes were being counted in Uganda following presidential and parliamentary elections marred by an internet shutdown and allegations of rigging by opposition candidate Bobi Wine. Wine, a presidential hopeful, claimed "massive ballot-stuffing" was reported across the country in a social media post, though he did not provide evidence. He also alleged that numerous polling agents and supervisors from his National Unity Platform (NUP) party were "abducted" or forced out of polling stations.

The Ugandan authorities have yet to respond to Wine's accusations of electoral fraud or the alleged targeting of his party's representatives. The electoral commission has not yet commented on the specific allegations.

Voters in the capital and other areas experienced significant delays, some lasting up to four hours. These delays were attributed to malfunctioning biometric machines used to verify voter identities, which some linked to the nationwide internet outage. Shortages of voting materials and late arrival of equipment at some polling stations also contributed to the extended wait times.

The electoral commission stated that any individual who was in line by the scheduled closing time of 5:00 PM local time (2:00 PM GMT) would be allowed to vote. The electoral agency had earlier issued an apology for the "technical" issues encountered.

The election pits incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, against Bobi Wine, a pop star-turned-politician who has garnered significant support, particularly among younger voters. Museveni's long tenure has been marked by periods of economic growth and stability, but also by accusations of authoritarianism and human rights abuses. Wine's campaign has focused on issues of corruption, inequality, and the need for generational change.

The outcome of the election is being closely watched both within Uganda and internationally. The results are expected to be announced by the electoral commission in the coming days. The shutdown of the internet and the allegations of irregularities have raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.