Ugandans cast their ballots in the presidential elections on Thursday amid reports of 'widespread repression and intimidation' in the east African country.

MTN Uganda, a subsidiary of South Africa's MTN Group, has been urged to switch on its internet services amid concerns of human rights abuses in the country, as Ugandans cast their ballots on Thursday, 15 January.

The authorities in Uganda ordered a blockade on internet access and selected mobile services nationwide on Tuesday, 13 January, two days before the national election in which President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986, is seeking to secure a seventh term.

The Uganda Communications Commission, the state telecoms regulator, ordered an internet shutdown, which started at 6pm in Uganda on Tuesday, to curb what it called "misinformation" about the vote.

"Following strong recommendation from the Inter-Agency Security Committee, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on Tuesday issued a directive to all licensed Mobile Network Operators and Internet Service Providers to temporarily suspend public internet access and selected mobile services during the election period," the UCC said in a public notice on Wednesday, 14 January.

"This measure was taken to mitigate the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, curb risks of electoral fraud and prevent incitement to violence, all of which could undermine public order, national security and the integrity of...