Twelve facts about the Uganda polls

Twelve facts about the Uganda polls

By John Eche

As the people of Uganda head to the polls this Thursday, The Difference Newspaper serves you twelve note-worthy facts about the polls process that may help shape its outcome.

One, the elections are being conducted under an atmosphere of tension and violence. 54 people were killed in November and both  frontline presidential candidates, Yoweri Museveni and Robert Kyagulanyi have presently ferried their children out of the country. The security services regularly break up opposition rallies in the guise of fighting COVID-19.

Two, some 18 million voters registered to vote in the polls.

Three, This is Museveni’s sixth bid for the Presidency. Indeed, the constitution had to be changed to allow him run.

Four, Museveni has been in office for 35 years already.

Five, Museveni at 76 is twice as old as the 38 year old Kyagulanyi who is his main rival.

Six, concern over the electoral process and outcome is worldwide. Facebook has for example shut the accounts of several politically exposed persons on account of the unacceptable nature of their posts. Some of the accounts shut down include those reportedly linked to the Ugandan Ministry of Information.

Seven, Uganda has never had a civilian-to-civilian democratic succession in its history.

Eight, eleven aspirants are battling to secure the presidency of the East African nation.

Nine, Kyagulanyi is a musician and businessman.

Ten, Kyagulanyi hails from Central Uganda but grew up in the slums of Kampala. His mother is a nurse and he studied Music at Makerere University, Kampala.

Eleven, the Kyagulanyis had supported Museveni across three generations and the opposition leader says he is personally embarrassed that Museveni has degenerated so badly in terms of governance and conduct.

Twelve, President Yoweri Museveni has accused foreign interests of doing everything possible to stop him emerging victorious.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Will he win again?