Museveni set to win poll

Ugandan opposition leader arrested as protests continue

KAMPALA: Police yesterday arrested Uganda’s main opposition candidate Kizza Besigye and fired tear gas at his supporters as early results from the presidential election showed President Yoweri Museveni is set to extend his 30-year grip on power.

While Museveni has presided over notable economic growth, critics – especially the young – accused him of not tackling corruption or creating jobs and of acting increasingly like an autocrat and forecast the vote would be rigged.

Police in the capital, Kampala, set off stun grenades and loosed tear gas volleys outside the headquarters of Besigye’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party as tension rose after a largely peaceful ballot held a day earlier.

Besigye was later detained for a third time this week, and was bundled into the back of police van along with several of his supporters, according to a Reuters witness.

His arrest on Monday contributed to chaos in Kampala as police and Besigye supporters fought running battles. One person died and 19 were wounded as police fired bullets while Besigye supporters responded by hurling rocks.

Early results showed Museveni, a Western ally against security threats including Islamist militants, with a sizeable lead of 62 percent based on a count of ballots in 42 percent of polling stations. Besigye trailed with 33 percent of the vote.

Dan Mugarura, a senior FDC official, said the party disputed the released results as there were “glaring discrepan- cies” compared to reports from polling stations.

Besigye, who challenged the 71- year- old Museveni unsuccessfully in three previous elections, has repeatedly insisted the election would not be free and fair and on Thursday accused the government of manipulating the vote.

Late on Thursday afternoon, Besigye was briefly detained in Kampala for alleged criminal trespass and assault.

A senior official with Besigye’s party said he had been leading a crowd of supporters to a building where he complained that ballot stuffing was under way. Police called Besigye’s accusations unfounded and outrageous.

Election Day was otherwise largely peaceful although voting was delayed in some areas, especially in the capital, and access to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook was blocked for much of the day, frustrating voters.

Yesterday morning, voting resumed in a handful of areas where delays in delivering polling materials had prevented some people from casting their ballot.

“It’s our right to vote,” said Geofrey Were, 32, as he stood waiting for the second day in a row in the Ggaba neighbourhood of Kampala. “This man has ruled us for 30 years. Obviously we need a change.” – Reuters

PICTURE: REUTERS BURNING ANGER: A supporter of opposition leader Kizza Besigye sets up a burning barricade in Kampala. Ugandan police fired shots into the air and tear gas at opposition protesters in several parts of southern Kampala yesterday after the presidential...