Ugandans cast ballots in tight presidential election

Ugandans go to the polls today to elect their president.

Eight presidential candidates will battle it out in an election touted as a three-horse race pitting President Yoweri Museveni against Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Go Forward’s Amama Mbabazi.

The Electoral Commission (EC) yesterday warned all candidates against forming any vigilante groups or risk jail.

The commission reiterated that only the Uganda Police would be in charge of security during the exercise.

“All candidates have been urged to desist from forming any parallel groups such as youth brigades, vigilantes and militias as this is illegal,” said EC Chairman Bardu Kiggundu.

Epic battle

According to BBC, Uganda has deployed 5,500 extra police officers ahead of today’s tightly contested elections. Special constables are also to be placed at each polling station for crowd control in the capital, Kampala.

The warning came even as voters remained upbeat over an epic battle in the land-locked country.

The EC said 15.9 million ballot papers were printed for the presidential elections.

Former Prime Minister Mbabazi, although an independent candidate, is riding on the platform and mantra of Go Forward.

Others in the race are Abed Bwanika of People’s Development Party, and four independent candidates Benon Biraro, Elton Joseph Mabirizi, Maureen Kyalya and former Makerere University lecturer Venesius Baryamureeba.

But even amid the fanfare, Besigye said he has little or no confidence in EC.

Uganda's Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Kizza Besigye receives money from a supporter in aid of his campaign in Kampala, on Tuesday. (PHOTO: AGENCIES)

Yesterday Dr Kiggundu indicated that a voter will be required to present himself or herself to the polling station where the registration was done and will be required to present their voter identification card.

Unlike Kenya, the voter can either present a voter’s card or the national identity card.

According to Uganda’s electoral laws, voting starts from 7am to 4pm and only those who will be in the queue will be allowed to vote beyond 4pm.

The laws also state that the constituency for the President is the entire country and EC will tally all the results from all the districts of Uganda and declare the elected candidate within 48 hours from closure of polls.

Mandela Stadium in Nambole has been gazetted as the national tallying centre.

But the Ugandan constitution has scattered the general elections with presidential and parliamentary ones taking place today, followed by local government polls to be held after six days.

The third poll will be for those seeking to lead municipality or city divisions next month on March 7.

However, EC was at pains to deal with the indelible mark as those who vote today will still have it on their thumbs on February 24, the polling date for district chairpersons and councillors.

“In order to avoid mistaking the traces of ink from a previous election, the commission states that the ink will be applied at the root of the nail of the thumb on the voter’s right hand to indicate that the voter has cast the ballot,” said Kiggundu.

Safe custody

During the second cycle of elections, the indelible ink is to be applied to the pointer finger, which is nearest to the thumb on the voter’s right hand to indicate that the person has cast a ballot.

During the third election cycle, the ink is to be applied to the root of the nail of the middle finger on the voter’s right hand. “Where the voter has no thumb, the indelible ink shall be applied to the root of the nail of the pointer finger, or the middle finger as the case maybe,” added Kiggundu.

The commission also sought to allay fears that the ballot had been pre-ticked, and clarified that ballots were in safe custody and had special features to distinguish them from fake ones.

EC introduced the biometric voter verification system aimed at improving the integrity of the electoral process through authentication of voter identity.

President Museveni had indicated if his party is defeated in the polls, he will hand over power to the successor.