/ 15 March 2001

MUSEVENI REFUTES RIGGING CHARGES

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has thrown vote rigging charges back at his main election rival, claiming he would have won by an even greater margin had he not been the victim of fraud. Museveni was responding to allegations by rival candidates, independent observers and foreign journalists that polling had been marred by serious electoral irregularities. The electoral commission announced he had won Monday’s presidential poll with 69.3% of the vote. – AFP