Election 2006                                     FDC Candidates Election 2006

Military back in elections
9th Feb 06
"The WILL of people can only be expressed in free and fair elections"
An army that is seen to be interfering with the democratic process gives politicians like Museveni in 1980 an excuse to "continue struggling for the establishment of a true democratic way of life in Uganda to liberate the country from the fangs of the power hungry leaders."

How votes will be stolen
Anne Mugisha
The Electoral Commission chief said no one would be allowed to stay within 100 meters of the polling station! This is a gross infringement on our freedom to monitor the polls and must be challenged by the parties, even in the courts of law. He threatens to work with the Police to penalise anybody in breach of that directive.

How the new multiparty Parliament will work
8th Feb 2006
After 20 years of the 'broad-based' Movement political system in Parliament, the opposition has an opportunity to rejuvenate their watchdog role in the Eighth Parliament, which will be run under the multiparty system.

Freed Dove returns
to sit on Besigye's head
30th Jan '06

“Peace in Uganda, peace in Uganda,” Besigye said as he let loose the two passive birds. There was excitement from the mammoth crowd as one
of the birds flew back and settled on his head.

Electoral Commission (EC) and security forces block Besigye
30th Jan '06
FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye was on Friday blocked from campaigning on FM radios in Gulu. Besigye had gone to Gulu after addressing rallies in Lira and Apac districts, to see the injured Aswa County MP Reagan Okumu at Gulu Independent Hospital. The Electoral Commission (EC) and security forces blocked Besigye, saying he had no programme in Gulu. He spent the night in Gulu and proceeded to West Nile for his campaign on Saturday. Okumu, who is also the FDC secretary for foreign affairs, was taken to the hospital last Monday after he and his wife Jane Atim got injured in a motor accident at Kiryandongo in Masindi district on the Gulu-Kampala highway. The northern regional Police commander, who is also the regional EC security committee chairman, PK Arinaitwe, said, “Besigye could not be allowed to hold radio talk-shows because he needed clearance from the EC.”

Swedish election observers to Uganda
30 Jan 2006
The Government has decided that Sweden will make two long-term and four short-term observers available for the parliamentary and presidential elections in Uganda on 23 February 2006. The election observers will be part of a joint EU mission.

"By sending election observers to Uganda, we want to help strengthen democratic development in the country," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Carin Jämtin.

The elections are the first multiparty elections to be held in Uganda since President Museveni came to power in 1986.

The decision to send election observers follows a request from the European Commission.

Sweden's development cooperation with Uganda amounted to about SEK 240 million in 2005. Sweden also contributed some SEK 125 million in humanitarian assistance, mainly targeted on northern Uganda.

Sida is responsible for the recruitment and training of Swedish election observers. Questions may be addressed to Sida/International Recruitment and Training Division (RIU)/Electoral Group.

Contact:

John Zanchi, Press Secretary, +46 8 405 59 39, +46 70 2602664, john.zanchi@foreign.ministry.se

Christian Carlsson, Press Officer, +46 8 405 58 80, +46 70 257 56 56, christian.carlsson@foreign.ministry.se

Agneta Johansson.Desk Officer, Africa Department, +46 8 405 55 24

New ballot boxes arrive
30th Jan 06
They will be the first transparent ballot boxes to be used in a Ugandan election. A Danish company, Danish Camp Supply, provided the boxes. The EC head of procurement, Mr Robert Boorekwa verified them at the EC warehouses at Luzira yesterday. “We are satisfied that what we ordered is what has been supplied,” Boorekwa said after conducting a verification exercise with the required sample.

Political parties of Uganda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Uganda parties buying voters' cards
Transparency International has accused President Museveni’s party of using state resources to gain advantage over its rivals and said the state-controlled broadcaster – the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation – was giving disproportionately more airtime to the incumbent over the other candidates.

Campaigns heat up
29th Jan 06
* Besigye says poll already rigged * Museveni butters the bread * Miria hankers to UPC's past * Ssebaana plays to his strengths * Bwanika holds consistent line

FDC Kasese office gets burnt

EU, Commonwealth to send 170 poll observers