UGANDA: Official campaign period ends ahead of Thursday polls

Feb 21, 2006 (KAMPALA) — Campaigning in Uganda’s first multiparty elections in 25 years ended on a tense note on Tuesday, after weeks of political activity marked by several violent clashes between security personnel and supporters of opposition candidate, Kizza Besigye.

In the latest incident, security forces fired tear gas and water cannon at Besigye’s supporters in the capital, Kampala, on Monday as the city hosted three presidential candidates including President Yoweri Museveni, who is seeking another five-year term after 20 years in power.

The fracas occurred at a sports field east of the city centre. Police ordered a crowd waiting for Besigye to disperse because it was being “disruptive, blocking traffic and disobeying police orders”.

“We have clear guidelines. We don’t want processions and hooliganism. That is why police acted to clear the road,” Oyo Nyeko, Kampala regional police commander, told IRIN by telephone.

“We were told to leave the road and enter the stadium, which we did. But later we saw police in the field, tear-gassing us, and we started running in disarray,” said Jotham Ndyamuhakia.

The police intervention resulted in Besigye cancelling what was to have been his final rally in the capital. Many in the crowd said the police had overreacted.

One child was slightly injured in the commotion, but no arrests were made.

Another disturbance, Nyeko said, took place at Makerere University when students tried to disrupt a speech by Museveni. Later the same day, a truck was set on fire in the western suburbs of the city.

Last week, at least two Besigye supporters were shot and killed by a retired soldier at an opposition rally. The opposition Forum for Democratic Change party claimed the incident was part of a wider government intimidation operation.

Although opposition to Museveni and desire for change run high in some quarters, particularly in the capital and the war-ravaged north, Besigye faces an uphill struggle to unseat the ex-guerrilla chief who seized power in a 1986 coup, observers say.

Opinion polls recently published by local Ugandan media indicated that Museveni, a 62-year-old former rebel leader, is the favourite in the five-candidate presidential race. A victory would make him one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents. Museveni has himself predicted a landslide victory for his party, the National Resistance Movement Organisation.

Human rights groups have expressed concern over the situation, especially the concurrent prosecutions of Besigye on rape and treason charges, which have interrupted the candidate’s campaign schedule and are widely seen as politically motivated.

Foreign donors have also weighed in, with several European nations withholding millions of dollars in direct aid to Museveni’s administration over concerns that the former darling of western governments has grown increasingly autocratic.

The two men – who are former close allies – faced off in the 2001 presidential polls. Besigye lost the election and claimed it was rigged. He later fled into exile in South Africa, saying his life was in danger.

Thursday’s elections will be monitored by a host of foreign observers. Officials at the electoral commission have indicated that some results may be available on Saturday.

(IRIN)