Polling irregularities, plus criticisms that the electoral commission is weighted towards Yoweri Museveni, could make a mockery of democracy in Uganda Uganda’s national electoral commission (EC) is once again under intense scrutiny after a messy presidential election that effectively locked out hundreds of thousands of voters in opposition strongholds – to the benefit of Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent.Museveni, in power for the past 30 years, campaigned on a slogan of “Steady progress”, but, according to many observers, Thursday’s election reeked of democratic stagnation or even regression.
More than Museveni’s widely expected victory, the shambolic exercise has raised questions about the efficacy of elections as a means of choosing leaders in post-military political systems.National Resistance Movement candidate Museveni won the elections with 60.8%, against 35.4% for Dr Kizza Besigye, of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Former prime minister Amama Mbabazi came third with 1.4%. As expected, 71-year-old Museveni is revelling in his win, praising the voters and thanking the electoral commission for a good job. In a gloating speech on Sunday, Museveni promised to use the next five years to fight poverty and corruption. However, both Besigye – Museveni’s former physician – and Mbabazi rejected the results. There was also a terse statement from Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, Museveni’s former army commander now heading the FDC, who asked Ugandans and the international community to reject the results.
More… from this Source: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/feb/22/ugandan-elections-polls-fraud-yoweri-museveni
Uganda leader Museveni declared winner — despite issues, tensions
(CNN)Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni extended his 30-year grip on power Saturday after the election commission declared him the winner despite an outcry from the opposition.Preliminary figures showed the incumbent with 62%compared to 34% for his closest competitor, opposition leader Kizza Besigye. But Besigye’s party, the Forum for Democratic Change, rejected the results and demanded an independent audit of the elections.Besigye is under house arrest, with no one is allowed in or out to see him. Elections officials are scheduled to announce the final results sometime later this weekend. The country had a voter turnout of 63%, according to the election commission.
More than 60% of the vote
As the nation awaited the official results, Besigye’s arrest and the deaths of two people at his opposition campaign office added to the tension. Besigye was put under “preventative arrest” Friday at his home in Kampala, along with six officials from his party, police said.Authorities detained the officials because they planned to announce unauthorized results tallied by the opposition, police spokesman Patrick Onyango said.Under law, only election officials may announce results, he said. The offices of the opposition party, where two people died following violence, had been besieged by police and military forces, the Red Cross said.
More… from Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/20/africa/uganda-election/