Uganda’s long-time President Yoweri Museveni has a clear lead in the presidential race following Thursday’s vote, preliminary results show.

The country’s electoral commission has dismissed allegations of vote rigging, made by opposition candidate Bobi Wine, a former pop star.

But election monitors say confidence in the count has been damaged by a three-day internet outage.

Final results are expected to be confirmed on Saturday.

Dozens of people were killed during violence in the run-up to the election. Opposition politicians have also accused the government of harassment.

President Museveni, who has been in power for 35 years, is hoping for a sixth term.

The 76-year-old says he is standing for stability. Meanwhile Bobi Wine – the stage name for 38-year-old Robert Kyagulanyi – says he represents the younger generation in one of the world’s youngest countries, where the median age is 16.

On Friday, as the results came in, Bobi Wine said that Ugandan soldiers had surrounded and breached his home.

“None of these military intruders is talking to us,” he said on Twitter. “We are in serious trouble.”

But a government spokesman accused him of “dramatising” the incident “to seek sympathy”.

“Bobi Wine at this moment is a very important person. It is the duty of the state of Uganda to ensure he is secure,” Don Wanyama said.