This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/19/world/africa/top-opposition-candidate-in-uganda-is-arrested-on-election-day.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
As Uganda Votes, Polling Stations Open Hours Late and a Candidate Is Arrested As Uganda Votes, Polling Stations Open Hours Late and a Candidate Is Arrested
(about 3 hours later)
KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandans went to the polls on Thursday to choose presidential and parliamentary candidates in an election riddled with irregularities even before voting began. KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandans went to the polls on Thursday to choose presidential and parliamentary candidates in an election riddled with irregularities even before voting began.
Polling stations in some parts of the capital, Kampala, did not open until after noon — nearly six hours late, and three hours before their scheduled closing time. Some did not open at all. At one polling station, voters waited seven hours for ballots to arrive, and when they did they were for parliamentary candidates only. Polling stations in some parts of the capital, Kampala, did not open until after noon — nearly six hours late, and three hours before their scheduled closing time. Some did not open at all. At one polling station, voters waited seven hours for ballots to arrive, and when they did, they were for parliamentary candidates only.
And the leading opposition candidate for president, Kizza Besigye, was arrested after trying to get into a police command center in the Naguru neighborhood of Kampala, the police said. Mr. Besigye’s party, the Forum for Democratic Change, countered that the command center was really a “vote-rigging center.” And the leading opposition candidate for president, Kizza Besigye, was arrested after trying to get into a police command center in the Naguru neighborhood of Kampala, the police said. Mr. Besigye’s party, the Forum for Democratic Change, alleged that the command center was a “vote-rigging center.”
“He was with people knocking on gates and banging cars,” said an assistant police commissioner, Namaye Polly. Mr. Besigye was later released, his lawyer said. “He was with people knocking on gates and banging cars,” said an assistant police commissioner, Polly Namaye. Mr. Besigye was later released, his lawyer said.
The long delays and irregularities threatened to exacerbate tensions that had risen just days before the election. Two people were killed on Monday in riots, and Mr. Besigye was twice arrested while trying to hold campaign rallies in Kampala. The long delays and irregularities threatened to exacerbate tensions that had risen days before the election. Two people were killed Monday in riots, and Mr. Besigye was twice arrested while trying to hold rallies.
Thursday’s vote in Uganda had been billed as the “D-Day” of presidential elections, the fifth under President Yoweri Museveni, 71, who has led Uganda for 30 years, longer than 75 percent of Ugandans have been alive. Ugandan law prohibits presidential candidates over 75 years old, so unless the law is changed, this is the last year Mr. Museveni can run. Thursday’s vote in Uganda had been billed as the “D-Day” of presidential elections, the fifth under President Yoweri Museveni, 71, who has led Uganda for 30 years, longer than 75 percent of Ugandans have been alive. Ugandan law prohibits presidential candidates older than 75, so unless the law is changed, this is the last year Mr. Museveni can run.
Mr. Museveni is perceived by many Ugandans to be trying to groom his son — Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 41, head of Uganda’s special forces — to succeed him, and the political jockeying in response created the strongest field of opposition candidates yet. Amama Mbabazi, Mr. Museveni’s former No. 2, defected last year after a reported falling out and joined Mr. Besigye in challenging the president on Thursday. Mr. Museveni is perceived by many Ugandans to be trying to groom his son — Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 41, the head of Uganda’s special forces — to succeed him, and the political jockeying in response created the strongest field of opposition candidates yet. Amama Mbabazi, Mr. Museveni’s former second in command, defected last year after a reported falling out and joined Mr. Besigye in challenging the president on Thursday.
This election season, Uganda’s police recruited over 100,000 volunteer Crime Preventers, who were given paramilitary training to help control crowds, arrest suspects, guard ballot boxes and gather intelligence. Many of them openly support the incumbent. Uganda’s police recruited more than 100,000 volunteer Crime Preventers, who were given paramilitary training to help control crowds, arrest suspects, guard ballot boxes and gather intelligence. Many openly say they are working for the incumbent.
Most Ugandans assume that Mr. Museveni will be declared the winner: he has ample genuine support, bolstered by Uganda’s history of vote rigging and manipulation. Most Ugandans assume that Mr. Museveni will be declared the winner: He has ample genuine support, bolstered by Uganda’s history of vote manipulation.
In the Kampala neighborhood of Kibuli, a hotbed of opposition support, ballots did not arrive until nearly 1 p.m. Voting was extended until 7 p.m., but even by then many Ugandans had still not been able to vote. “Fair in the countrysides; logistical nightmares in Kampala,” said Chris Kaheru, the director of the Citizen’s Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, a watchdog group. The thrust of Mr. Museveni’s opposition comes from urban and elite voters, and “restrictions on social media networks slowed down the flow of info,” Mr. Kaheru said. In Kampala’s Kibuli neighborhood, a hotbed of opposition support, ballots did not arrive until nearly 1 p.m. Voting was extended until 7 p.m., but even by then, many had still not been able to vote.
“I arrived early!” exclaimed Musa Muburak, 24, a shop manager and supporter of Mr. Besigye. “When I came back, they said it was too late!” “I arrived early!” said Musa Muburak, 24, a shop manager and supporter of Mr. Besigye. “When I came back, they said it was too late!”
In the Ggaba neighborhood, hundreds of people waited seven hours for one polling place to open before voting papers finally arrived, The Associated Press reported. When the voters found out that the ballots were only those for choosing members of Parliament, not the president, they overpowered the police, grabbed the ballot boxes and threw them all over a field. In the nearby neighborhood of Ggaba, hundreds of people waited seven hours for one polling place to open before voting papers arrived, The Associated Press reported. When the voters found out the ballots were only those for choosing members of Parliament, not the president, they overpowered the police, grabbed the ballot boxes and threw them all over a field. The police fired tear gas, and polling officers fled before votes were cast.
The police fired tear gas, and polling officers fled before any votes were cast.
Widespread outages of social media services, including WhatsApp and Twitter, were also reported Thursday.Widespread outages of social media services, including WhatsApp and Twitter, were also reported Thursday.
Uganda’s electoral commission announced Thursday evening that more than a dozen polling stations in Kampala would reopen on Friday so that voting could continue. Results are not expected until Saturday. Uganda’s electoral commission announced Thursday night that more than a dozen polling stations in Kampala would reopen on Friday. Results are not expected until Saturday.
President Museveni’s National Resistance Movement party rejected notions that delays in voting had favored the incumbent. A party spokesman, Mike Sabulu, said, “Delays don’t discriminate.” Mr. Museveni’s National Resistance Movement party rejected notions that delays in voting had favored him. A party spokesman, Mike Sebalu, said, “Delays don’t discriminate.”
“We should be winning,” he said. “We didn’t have any worries about anyone, because we didn’t see ourselves as competing with them.”“We should be winning,” he said. “We didn’t have any worries about anyone, because we didn’t see ourselves as competing with them.”
Nevertheless, early returns Thursday from neighborhoods around Kampala indicated solid victories for Mr. Besigye. At the polling site in Kibuli, Mr. Besigye had 216 votes to Mr. Museveni’s 66. Nevertheless, early returns from neighborhoods around Kampala indicated solid victories for Mr. Besigye. At the polling site in Kibuli, Mr. Besigye had 216 votes to Mr. Museveni’s 66.
But Kampala is not representative of Uganda over all, and most here believe that Mr. Museveni is going to be awarded another five-year term. But Kampala is not representative of Uganda over all, and most here say Mr. Museveni will win another five-year term.