Strong military presence in Kampala as mayoral elections are postponed – voters intimidated

By Philip Thon Aleu

February 24, 2011 (KAMPALA) – Security forces are visible on the Ugandan capital’s streets following Monday’s postponed restive mayoral elections. At least 100 people were reportedly arrested and more than 20 were injured throughout the country for taking part in electoral violence and rigging.

Elections for city mayors and other local councils took place on 23 February 2011, a week after the presidential and parliamentary elections. The Kampala mayoral polls are suspended indefinitely but other elections in the country went ahead as planned.

Local media reported numerous allegations of vote-rigging by different candidates and isolated violence among supporters of political rivals. There are also reports of ballot stuffing in favor of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidates. NRM supporters swiftly denied the allegations and blamed the electoral commission officials and opposition parties of causing havoc in order to mar their victory.

The 18 February 2011 presidential polls, which were won by incumbent president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni by 68%, were the second multiparty elections in Uganda. Museveni’s main rival, Kizza Beisigye got 26%. The election results, which are rejected by opposition leaders, extend Museveni’s stay in power to 2016 – meaning he will have held power for 30 years, since taking control of the country in 1986 after a guerilla war.

The deployment of police forces, the army and other paramilitary groups in Kampala and in the countryside, is intended to deter security threats, according to the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) and the police. But oppositions say heavy military presence on the streets intimates voters.

During the build-up to presidential polls, the city traffic flow reduced significantly as residents moved to the countryside or remained indoors in anticipation of violence during the hotly contested parliamentary and presidential campaigns. The polls passed peacefully.

But the streets remain under heavy guard as local council elections became tense on Wednesday and traffic flow was reduced again.

(ST)