UGANDA: Vote counting underway in presidential and parliamentary polls

KAMPALA, 24 Feb 2006 (IRIN) - Ballots were being counted across Uganda on Friday after the country’s first multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 26 years ended peacefully, election officials said.

Observers predicted a tight race between the incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking re-election after 20 years in power, and the main opposition leader, Kizza Besigye.

Security was tight following the deployment of 12,000 police and army personnel across the country and reports of minor disruptions were few.

Supporters of Besigye's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party claimed several irregularities had occurred, including cases of voters whose names could not be found on the register.

Sam Rwakoojo, secretary to Uganda's Electoral Commission, however said the exercise had gone well. "So far, so good," he said on Thursday, adding that turnout had been high.

Initial reports from the war-ravaged northern region where over one million people have been displaced by conflict indicated Besigye had taken a lead, but Museveni had a comfortable lead in the central and western regions.

This trend was repeated in parliamentary elections where a majority of parliamentary candidates allied to Museveni's party, the National Resistance Movement Organisation were trailing in the north and east. FDC candidates were trailing in the western region.

About 10.4 million Ugandans were eligible to vote for one of five presidential candidates, and hundreds of parliamentary candidates vying for 284 seats.

A presidential candidate needs at least 50 percent of votes cast to win. Should neither candidate get this percentage, a second round will be organised between the two leading candidates within 30 days.

Should Museveni, a 62-year old ex-guerrilla chief who seized power in a 1986 coup, win, he would become one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents.

[Also see: UGANDA: Hunting for political support in neglected north]

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