Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has defended his bid for re-election after 20 years in power, saying he is running in next week’s polls because he needs more time to stabilise Uganda, build democracy and national unity, and defeat terrorism.
”I need … the power of the state to help solve people’s problems,” Museveni told journalists five days before the February 23 presidential elections.
Latest opinion polls, however, suggest that Museveni may have to struggle to garner enough votes to win outright in the first round of the ballot, according to the independent Daily Monitor newspaper.
The nationwide random survey conducted by the Steadman Group between February 6 and 11 shows support for Museveni was at 47%, while his main challenger, Kizza Besigye, pulled in 36%, according to the newspaper.
Under the Constitution, a candidate must win 50% of the valid votes plus one extra ballot to be elected president.
Five percent of those surveyed either said they did not know or refused to answer, while 4% were undecided. The remaining 12% of respondents said they would vote for other minor candidates.
The poll was based on a random sample of 2 485 adult Ugandans in 56 districts, in both rural and urban areas. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2,2%, according to the Daily Monitor.
The results show that Museveni’s support is slipping while his main challenger is gaining ground. In December, Museveni had 47% against Besigye’s 32%.
Museveni, however, did not betray concern over the opinion polls when he met journalists at his ranch in south-western Uganda.
He was keen to dismiss sentiment among some Ugandans that perhaps it was time for major changes in national leadership, after having Museveni at the helm since 1986 when he seized power as a guerrilla leader.
”I don’t look at this period of government of being in power, but as being in the struggle as I was before, so am I today, so am I tomorrow,” Museveni said. ”We are struggling for stability of the continent and the country, democracy, development, national unity and against terrorism. This is the same struggle.” — Sapa-AP