The web has been lower off in Uganda as voters forged their ballots in a hotly contested election.
A 38-year-old singer is difficult Yoweri Museveni, 76, in one of many world’s youngest international locations.
Robert Kyagulanyi, identified by his stage title Bobi Wine, says he represents the nation’s youthful technology, whereas Mr Museveni says he’s standing for stability.
Dozens of individuals have been killed within the run-up to the election.
What’s the newest?
Polls had been as a result of shut at 16:00 native time (13:00 GMT) however will stay open till everybody within the queue on the time of closing has voted, the BBC’s Endurance Atuhaire reviews from the capital, Kampala.
Some polling stations didn’t open for shut to 2 hours and voters within the queue had grown offended and had began shouting on the polling gate officers, our correspondent provides.
She says the reason for the delay was not clear.
Reuters information company reviews that on the six polling stations the place their reporters noticed delays the poll papers had not arrived.
Outcomes will not be anticipated earlier than Saturday.
What’s the extent of the shutdown?
In addition to being unable to get on-line, there are reviews that persons are even having hassle sending textual content messages.
Earlier within the week the authorities ordered the blocking of social media, messaging apps and sure websites for digital personal networks (VPNs) which individuals use to get round social media blocks.
The Ugandan authorities seem to have ordered web suppliers to close down the entire web at 19:00 native time (16:00 GMT) on the eve of the election, according to a letter shared by the freelance journalist Samira Sawlani .
Within the letter, which we now have not verified, the Uganda Communications Fee orders web suppliers to “implement a brief suspension of the operation of all of your web gateways and related entry factors”.
Whereas it stated the order was momentary, the letter didn’t state when the suspension ought to finish.
The web entry advocacy group Entry Now has urged telecoms suppliers to problem the order, saying they need to be “enablers of human rights, not gatekeepers“.
How will outcomes be transmitted with out the web?
By Catherine Byaruhanga, BBC Information, Kampala
Coronavirus tips on social distancing and handwashing are proving laborious to implement however right here in Kibuli, which sits within the shadow of downtown Kampala, everybody queuing up is carrying facemasks.
There are reviews {that a} new biometric system to confirm individuals’s identities isn’t working in some areas. The electoral fee’s spokesperson wouldn’t affirm whether or not this was as a result of the web has been lower off.
There are questions on how outcomes from across the nation will likely be transmitted to the nationwide tally centre in Kampala with out the web. The electoral fee instructed the BBC it has programs in place to do that however did not clarify additional.
What safety measures have been put in place?
Ugandan police promised they might deploy officers on rooftops of the capital Kampala on polling day, which they are saying comes after opposition activists commanded protests from rooftops in November, when greater than 50 individuals had been killed after Bobi Wine was arrested.
Earlier this week, Mr Museveni gave a stark warning.
“For those who attempt to disturb peace, you’ll have your self responsible. The safety forces, following the legislation, are able to cope with any troublemaker,” he stated in a televised speech carrying navy fatigues.
How unhealthy was the violence in the course of the marketing campaign?
Violence has been at an unprecedented degree.
Safety forces cracked down on gatherings forward of the election and dozens have been killed.
The federal government says the ban on gatherings was to forestall the unfold of coronavirus whereas the opposition say it was a smokescreen for repression.
Bobi Wine and others out of the ten opposition candidates have been arrested on a number of events.
Will the vote be free and honest?
It relies upon who you ask.
The federal government has beforehand stated the election could be free and honest.
However the US forged doubt over the electoral course of and withdrew its election observers after most of its accreditation requests had been denied.
In response, Mr Museveni’s spokesman Don Wanyama tweeted that there have been observers from the African Union and East African Group.
“I do not bear in mind when Uganda final despatched election observers to the US,” he added.
Bobi Wine has known as on voters to stay at polling stations on Thursday and use their cell phone cameras to report the tallying course of in an effort to forestall vote rigging.
Who’s Yoweri Museveni?
Mr Museveni is standing for a sixth elected time period in workplace, as chief of the Nationwide Resistance Motion (NRM).
He got here to energy on the again of an armed rebellion in 1986 and has lengthy been depicted to Ugandans as a liberator and peace bringer.
However he has managed to keep up his grip on energy via a combination of encouraging a character cult, using patronage, compromising impartial establishments and sidelining opponents, says the BBC’s Endurance Atuhaire.
Who’s Bobi Wine?
Bobi Wine is broadly considered the strongest of the ten opposition candidates within the presidential race.
The 38-year-old reggae star is understood by his supporters because the ghetto president.
His social gathering, the Nationwide Unity Platform (NUP) social gathering campaigns for fundamental wants like enhancing entry to healthcare, training, clear water and justice.
Over the past twenty years Bobi Wine’s musical output has been full of songs about these points and so they have impressed a fervent following.
He grew up in Kampala’s Kamwokya slum the place he went on to construct his now world-famous recording studio.