Polls open in Uganda amid crackdown, fears of violence, internet blackout

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 15, 2026 at 06:36 AM

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Uganda held a general election on Thursday amid high tensions. President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his long rule, facing opposition despite a government crackdown. The election is taking place with an internet blackout imposed by regulators, raising concerns about transparency. Polling stations opened with delays, and heavy security patrols were visible. Over 21.6 million registered voters are participating, with unemployment being a key issue, especially for young voters. The UN Human Rights Office emphasized the importance of open communication for free elections, while citizens were advised to prepare for potential unrest.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Jinja 30% Kampala 40% AFP ×240% Daily Monitor 50% United Nations Human Rights Office ×270% Yoweri Museveni ×290% Uganda ×7100%

Keywords

uganda election 100% internet shutdown 90% political crackdown 80% yoweri museveni 70% fears of violence 60% free and genuine elections 50% police crackdown 50% voter registration 50% east africa 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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uganda election internet shutdown political crackdown yoweri museveni fears of violence free and genuine elections police crackdown voter registration east africa

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