Voting started on Thursday in Uganda’s presidential election despite a prolonged internet shutdown that critics have condemned as an anti-democratic measure.

Polling stations opened late in several regions, with voters observed queuing for hours as election materials were delivered after the planned 7 a.m. start time.

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, is seeking re-election against seven challengers, including musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, who has campaigned on promises of political reform.

Uganda, with a population of roughly 45 million, has 21.6 million registered voters. Analysts note that while Museveni remains the frontrunner, his advanced age has increasingly led him to rely on the nation’s security forces to maintain control.