Ugandans are heading to the polls today to decide who will be their president for the next five years.

Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is being challenged by long-time opposition leader Kizza Besigye and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.

The polls are commencing after the chairman of the electoral commission warned that some people intended to print a similar version of the ballot papers, pre-tick them, and use them in the polls.

Badru Kigundu also said some Ugandans had also designed software to tally the votes that will be cast without waiting for the official tallies.

Analysts say that fear of violence hangs over Kampala as the country heads to polls this morning to decide whether to re-elect as president a man who has held power for 30 years.

On Monday, clashes erupted in parts of the city after the police stopped Besigye, of the Forum for Democratic Change, from marching on the main road to scheduled rallies in the central business district.

At least one person was killed, as police twice arrested Besigye and fired tear gas to disperse his supporters, who hit back with stones, and burned tyres and campaign posters of Museveni.