Museveni in lead with over 70% votes

Kampala

Provisional results released by the Electoral Commission yesterday showed incumbent Yoweri Museveni in the lead and the frame for a fourth elective term in office. The electoral body had received results from 10,324 polling stations out of the total 23,968 countrywide.

Mr Museveni, the ruling party’s presidential flag bearer, had chalked up at least 71.38 per cent of the vote while his closest and three time challenger Dr Kizza Besigye of the Interparty Cooperation (IPC) was staring defeat, trailing in second place with 22.92 per cent of the vote.

The EC’s fifth provisional results which were released shortly after noon yesterday, offered an early sense of how the election was playing out. Of the votes submitted, Mr Museveni had tucked 2,432,864 votes under his belt while Dr Besigye had garnered 781,353 votes. In third place stood Uganda Peoples Congress candidate (UPC) Olara Otunnu, who curiously did not participate in yesterday’s polling. He bagged 70,611 votes, while in fourth place stood Mr Nobert Mao, the Democratic Party (DP) candidate with 50,027 votes, followed by the only female candidate in the race, Ms Beti Olive Kamya of the Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) with 20,316 votes.

People’s Development Party (PDP) flag bearer Dr Abed Bwanika came in sixth place collecting 22,587 votes. Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) leader Jaberi Bidandi Ssali and the only independent candidate in the race Samuel Lubega were battling for bottom spot. Mr Lubega appeared to have bettered the veteran politician, posting 15,977 votes while Mr Bidandi had bagged 14,747 votes.

Northern inroads
A total 149,486 votes were recorded invalid while some 6,753 votes were submitted as spoilt. While the EC results did not offer a detailed indication of how the vote had played out per region, the provisional results are reflective of results separately tallied by Sunday Monitor from across the country’s 112 districts.

The results show Mr Museveni has gained support in key opposition strong holds, areas where he has previously performed poorly. The NRM leader, whose campaign rode on the promise of transforming Uganda into a middle income country, emerged victorious in several urban areas as well as in the sub-regions of Busoga, Acholi and West Nile.

For instance in the capital Kampala, where Dr Besigye has commanded support and twice beaten Mr Museveni, results showed the ruling party’s candidate had edged the FDC top man. By lunchtime yesterday, some 14 votes separated the two men.

In Kitgum, results declared by the District Registrar Betty Atim Owot showed that Mr Museveni has won with 38.82% followed by Dr Olara Otunnu with 35.35%, third is Dr Besigye with 15.33%, Mr Mao is fourth with 8.02%, fifth is Abed Bwanika with 0.95%, followed by independent Samuel Lubega. The only female candidate Beti Olive Kamya 0.64%, and Jaberi Badandi Ssali are seventh position tied at 0.45%

The total numbers of voters registered in Kitgum/Chua County were 85,750 but only 49,304 cast their ballot for presidency. There were 178 polling stations in Kitgum. In districts like Manafwa, Butaleja, Katakwi and Moyo, Mr Museveni was still leading Dr Besigye. Mr Mao emerged victorious in the northern Uganda district of Gulu, where he has been serving as district chairman.

Some 13,954,129million people were registered to take part in the country’s second multiparty election in more than two decades with observers noting a high voter turn out of more than 70percent.

Additional reporting by Stephen Komakech in Kitgum.