2016 Ugandan general election

none Uganda 2011 Ugandan general election 2011 2016 02 18 yes 2021 Ugandan general election 2021 15,277,198 yes Presidential election presidential 67.61% ( 8.32 pp) Yoweri Museveni September 2015.jpg Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement 5,971,872 60.62% Kizza Besigye.png Kizza Besigye Forum for Democratic Change 3,508,687 35.61% Uganda 2016 Election Results Map.png 300px Presidential election results map. Yellow denotes provinces won by Museveni, and Blue denotes those won by Besigye. President Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement yes Parliamentary election 416 of the 426 seats in Parliament 209 Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement 263 293 48.88 Kizza Besigye Forum for Democratic Change 34 36 12.73 Norbert Mao Democratic Party (Uganda) 12 15 4.34 Olara Otunnu Uganda People's Congress 10 6 2.14 – Independents 43 66 31.16 Independent Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga National Resistance Movement Rebecca Kadaga National Resistance Movement General elections were held in Uganda on 18 February 2016 to elect the President and Parliament. Polling day was declared a national holiday.http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/675287-uganda-elections-polling-date-set-on-feb-18-2016.html Uganda elections polling date set on Feb 18, 2016 New Vision 4 November 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151211073442/http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/675287-uganda-elections-polling-date-set-on-feb-18-2016.html 11 December 2015 Uganda Discovered the Zika Virus. And the Solution for It. https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/10/uganda-discovered-the-zika-virus-and-the-solution-for-it/ Foreign Policy 2016-02-11 Presidential candidates included incumbent Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, Kizza Besigye, Uganda: Copy Kenya, Tanzania on Term Limits, Says Besigye http://allafrica.com/stories/201601190130.html AllAfrica 2016-02-08 who had run against Museveni in 2001, 2006 and 2011, former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Abed Bwanika who has also challenged Museveni in 2001, 2006 and 2011, former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Venansius Baryamureeba, retired Army General Benon Biraaro, Joseph Mabirizi and former presidential advisor Faith Kyalya. Claims of rigging and violence at polling stations were reported and voting was extended in several locations after reports of people not being allowed to cast their votes. With change unlikely, Ugandans brace for elections 18 January 2016 http://www.dw.com/en/with-change-unlikely-ugandans-brace-for-elections/a-18987616 Deutsche Welle 2016-02-08 According to the Electoral Commission, Museveni was re-elected with 61% of the vote to Besigye's 35%. Opposition candidates claimed that the elections were marred by widespread fraud, voting irregularities, the repeated arrest of opposition politicians and a climate of voter intimidation. Uganda's Opposition Leader Kizza Besigye Arrested After Alleging Fraud In Elections http://www.ibtimes.com/ugandas-opposition-leader-kizza-besigye-arrested-after-alleging-fraud-elections-2316966 International Business Times 22 February 2016 2016-02-24 The European Union and United States have since criticised the election for lack of transparency and detentions of opposition candidates. Overseers from the Commonwealth of Nations were critical of the misuse of state powers in favour of the incumbent. Electoral system The President of Uganda was elected using the two-round system,Republic of Uganda IFES with candidates needing to receive at least 50% of the vote to be elected in the first round. Chapter 142 of the Presidential Elections Act of 2000 of Uganda stipulates that presidential candidates must be a citizen of Uganda by birth, between 35 and 75 years old and be qualified to be an MP. Presidential Electons [sic] Act 2000 http://www.ulii.org/ug/legislation/consolidated-act/142 ULII 2016-02-08 2016-03-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220449/http://www.ulii.org/ug/legislation/consolidated-act/142 dead Candidates were also required to be of sound mind and have no formal connection with the Electoral Commission of Uganda. Term limits were abolished in 2005. Uganda: Proposal to Re-Introduce Presidential Term Limits https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/uganda-proposal-to-re-introduce-presidential-term-limits/ Library of Congress 2012-04-25 2016-02-08 Members of the Parliament of Uganda were elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting. In addition, a number of seats were reserved for female candidates.Electoral system IPU The Parliament elected in 2011 had 375 seats, but voted to increase the number of constituencies to 418 for the 2016 elections. Parliament approves 43 new constituencies http://www.elections.co.ug/new-vision/election/1000122/parliament-approves-constituencies Vision Group 2016-02-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20160817154615/http://www.elections.co.ug/new-vision/election/1000122/parliament-approves-constituencies 2016-08-17 dead The elections were supervised by the Electoral Commission of Uganda, which registered 15,277,198 voters.https://www.ec.or.ug/?q=content%2F2016-general-elections-statistics The 2016 General Elections Statistics Electoral Commission https://web.archive.org/web/20190328164748/https://www.ec.or.ug/?q=content%2F2016-general-elections-statistics 28 March 2019 Presidential candidates Eight candidates contested the presidential elections. Four candidates were from a generation called the Bush War revolutionaries, and were part of the guerrilla armies that toppled the previous government in 1986. Uganda: Bush War Veterans Told to Quit for Youth http://allafrica.com/stories/201602110825.html AllAfrica 2016-02-17 Yoweri Museveni was running for his seventh term in office in 2016. He took power in 1986 after winning a guerrilla war against President Tito Okello. Museveni has been president for 30 years in a country where 78% of the population was under the age of 30 at the time of the elections. Election 2016: Young voices from Uganda http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/02/election-2016-young-voices-uganda-160216120536215.html Al Jazeera 2016-02-16 Museveni's main rival was four-time rival Kizza Besigye, who ran under the Forum for Democratic Change ticket and has lost the past three elections against Museveni. Besigye was Museveni's personal physician and a military officer who broke ties with the NRM government in 2001. Amama Mbabazi, a former Prime minister of Uganda and a founding member of the NRM, ran against the incumbent president under the Go Forward ticket. Mbabazi was sacked as prime minister in 2014 in a power struggle with Museveni. The Go Forward party was part of the Democratic Alliance, an alliance between Mbabazi, the Democratic Party, Uganda Peoples Congress and the Justice Forum (JEEMA). The Democratic Alliance Crumbles; Fails To Choose Candidate http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2015/09/the-democratic-alliance-crumbes-fails-to-choose-candidate/ The Independent 2016-02-16 2016-02-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20160225104539/http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2015/09/the-democratic-alliance-crumbes-fails-to-choose-candidate/ dead The alliance initially also included the FDC; however, due to disagreements in electing the alliance candidate for the election, the FDC split from the alliance. Uganda: Democratic Alliance to Announce Presidential Candidate This Week http://allafrica.com/stories/201509141064.html AllAfrica 2016-02-16 Abed Bwanika, a veterinarian, also ran for a third time. The doctor ran under the People's Development Party (PDP) banner. Dr Abed Bwanika Resorts To Tribal Campaign To Drum Up Political Support In Buganda http://theinvestigatornews.com/dr-abed-bwanika-resorts-to-tribal-campaign-to-drum-up-political-support-in-buganda/ The Investigator 2016-02-17 en-US https://web.archive.org/web/20160207090301/http://theinvestigatornews.com/dr-abed-bwanika-resorts-to-tribal-campaign-to-drum-up-political-support-in-buganda/ 2016-02-07 dead Though it was Bwanika's third time running for the presidency, he had failed to rally much support for his previous campaigns. Campaign First presidential debate Uganda held its first ever televised presidential debate on 15 January 2016. Uganda: All Set for Uganda's Presidential Debate, Museveni's Participation Unclear http://allafrica.com/stories/201601141493.html AllAfrica 2016-02-08 The debate took place at the Serena Hotel in Kampala and was led by BBC Newsday presenter Alan Kasujja and KTN journalist Nancy Kacungira. Uganda: Museveni Avoids First Live Presidential Debate http://allafrica.com/stories/201601160363.html AllAfrica 2016-02-08 The presidential debate was attended by all presidential aspirants, except the incumbent president Yoweri Museveni, who was not present. Topics such as Uganda's growing national debt, corruption, education and job creation were at the centre of all candidates' manifestos. Museveni a no-show at Uganda's first presidential debate http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/01/16/museveni-a-no-show-at-ugandas-first-presidential-debate_c1277399?page=0%252C1 The Star 2016-02-08 2016-02-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20160214232242/http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/01/16/museveni-a-no-show-at-ugandas-first-presidential-debate_c1277399?page=0%252C1 dead Second presidential debate The second presidential debate was held on 13 February 2016 at the Serena hotel. Unlike the first debate, the debate was attended by President Museveni. Uganda's president attends first election debate – BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35569227 BBC News 13 February 2016 2016-02-13 en-GB All eight candidates appeared at the debate, although Joseph Mabirizi arrived at the debate late. The debate was moderated by Dr. Shaka Ssali, who is a host of VOA's Straight Talk Africa, Dr. Joel Serunkuma Kibazo, the director of communications and external relations at the African Development Bank, and Dr. Suzie Muwanga, the head of political science and public administration at Makerere University. Who's Moderating the Second Presidential Debate? Uganda Talks http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2016/02/whos-moderating-the-second-presidential-debate/ The Independent 2016-02-13 2016-02-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20160212081012/http://www.independent.co.ug/ugandatalks/2016/02/whos-moderating-the-second-presidential-debate/ dead Foreign policy, national security and the economy were at the centre of the debate topics. As it happened: Presidential debate II http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1417058/presidential-debate-ii-ogoola-museveni-attendance New Vision 2016-02-13 Opinion polls PollsterDate Sample size Yoweri MuseveniNRM Kizza BesigyeFDC Amama MbabaziGo Fwd. Others UndecidedResearch World International5–8 December 2015 ~200059.9% 21% 1.9% 1.3% 16.1%Research World International19 December 2015–10 January 2016 ~200051% 32% 12%5%Ipsos Uganda 1–8 February 2016 ~200053% 28% – – – Conduct Uganda has not seen a single peaceful transition of power in the country since its independence. Many observers believed that post-election demonstrations will occur and many protests will be under the risk of state sanctioned violence. The government recruited hundreds of thousands of unemployed young men. They have been hired, ostensibly, to prevent crime; however, according to Human Rights Watch, they have harassed opposition politicians and supporters.Elections in Uganda https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21693266-president-uganda-looks-likely-hold-another-term-no-jam-today 20 February 2016 The Economist 20 February 2016 1 February 2016 – The arrival of ballot papers from South Africa was delayed by about 3 hours and some theorists suggested that the authorities were conducting foul play to favor a certain candidate. Conspiracy theorists believe that the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft made an unscheduled stop in Kigali where some ballots were dropped off to be later transported into Uganda. The allegation was denied by both the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority and the Electoral Commission of Uganda. The delay was said to be due to weather issues in Johannesburg. Plane carrying Uganda's ballot papers did not land in Rwanda- Official http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Plane-carrying-Uganda-s-ballot-papers-did-not-land-in-Rwanda/-/688334/3057678/-/u9v263/-/index.html Monitor 2016-02-15 13 February 2016 – The Electoral commission accepted that 20,000 names that were registered during the election process were not existent after two whistle blowers claimed there were some ghost names on the list. Uganda: EC Apologises for Extra Names On Voter Register http://allafrica.com/stories/201602121241.html AllAfrica 2016-02-15 Arrests of opposition members 15 February 2016 – As Kizza Besigye was heading towards his campaign at the Makerere University in Kampala, the Ugandan Police detained the FDC candidate. The police fired tear gas and broke the crowds as the police accused Besigye for violating campaign rules. Besigye was driven outside of Kampala and then released. The Uganda police and Uganda People's Defence Force have been accused of siding with the NRM government to intimidate political opponents. Ugandan Police Detain, Then Release Opposition Leader Besigye https://www.voanews.com/a/uganda-police-arrest-opposition-leader-besigye/3191284.html VOA 15 February 2016 2016-02-15 18 February 2016 – Besigye was arrested a second time.http://www.jeuneafrique.com/303456/politique/presidentielle-ouganda-principal-opposant-kizza-besigye-arrete/ Présidentielle en Ouganda : le principal opposant, Kizza Besigye, arrêté fr 18 February 2016 19 February 2016 – Ugandan police surrounded and raided Forum for Democratic Change headquarters in Kampala and arrested presidential candidate Kizza Besigye, FDC president Mugisha Muntu, chairman Wasswa Biriggwa and an activist Ingrid Turinawe. Uganda Police Arrest Besigye, Party Officials in Office Raid http://allafrica.com/stories/201602191390.html The East African 2016-02-20 21 February 2016 – Besigye, and Amama Mbabazi, another presidential candidate, were both under de facto house arrest and it was reported that General Katumba Wamala was under surveillance. U.S. Calls for Release of Uganda's Opposition Leader https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/world/africa/us-calls-for-release-of-ugandas-opposition-leader.html?_r=0 The New York Times 2016-02-21 Josh Kron 21 February 2016 24 February 2016 - Moses Kasibante and Betty Nambooze, two MP-elects, were briefly arrested for revealing documents that describe election fraud taking place. Social media blackout 18 February 2016 – The government ordered the mobile service providers MTN and Airtel to block social media platforms. The government claims that platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp spread rumors and create unnecessary chaos. The opposition has argued that the ruling was put in place to prevent the public from reporting irregularities in the election process. Ugandans cast votes in presidential election amid social-media blackout http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ugandans-casts-vote-in-presidential-election-amid-social-media-blackout-2016-02-18 MarketWatch 2016-02-18 Nicholas Bariyo, Heidi Vogt 18 February 2016 Checkpoints in Kampala 19 February 2016 – Ugandan journalists reported "Major junction are like military barracks [with] Checkpoints along major highways." 'Tweeting from Canada, voting in Uganda': How Ugandans evaded an election day internet crackdown https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/tweeting-from-canada-voting-in-uganda-how-ugandans-evaded-an-election-day-internet-crackdown National Post 2016-02-20 Tristan Hopper 21 February 2016 – Security presence in Kampala was high according to the Associated Press. Uganda: Opposition leader urges protests over his detention http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_UGANDA_ELECTIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-02-21-10-01-10 AP 2016-02-21 Rodney Muhumuza 2016-02-22 https://web.archive.org/web/20160222100406/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_UGANDA_ELECTIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-02-21-10-01-10 dead 26 February 2016 – EU and US officials were briefly barred by the police officers posted outside Besigye's house. The officials were only allowed to enter the premise on foot after a high ranking police officer let them in. http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Officials-from-EU--US-pay-Besigye-visit/-/688334/3093660/-/yhx51u/-/index.html Officials from EU, US pay Besigye visit Monitor 2016-02-26 Violence The New York Times reported that at least two people had been killed and 20 injured in riots during the week of the election. Results Museveni was declared the winner on 20 February 2016. Results from the electoral commission showed him with 60.8% of the vote against 35.4% for Besigye.Edith Honan and Elias Biryabarema, "Uganda's Museveni wins election; opposition cries foul", Reuters, 20 February 2016. He was sworn in at a ceremony in Kampala on 12 May 2016.Abu-Bakarr Jalloh, "Uganda's Museveni sworn in for a fifth term", Deutsche Welle, 12 May 2016. President Yoweri Museveni National Resistance Movement 5971872 Kizza Besigye Forum for Democratic Change 3508687 Amama Mbabazi Go Forward 136519 Abed Bwanika People's Development Party 89005 Venansius Baryamureeba Independent 52798 Faith Kyalya Independent 42833 Benon Biraaro Uganda Farmers Party 25600 Joseph Mabirizi Independent 24498 477319 15277198 Electoral Commission, Electoral Commission Parliament List of members of the tenth Parliament of Uganda File:Uganda Parliament 2016.svg Constituency Women Appointed Total +/– National Resistance Movement 3945000 199 3566617 84 10 293 +30 Forum for Democratic Change 1027648 29 929860 7 0 36 +2 Democratic Party 349962 13 246284 2 0 15 +3 Uganda People's Congress 172781 4 236164 2 0 6 –4 Justice Forum 20089 0 16741 0 0 0 –1 Ugandan Federal Alliance 18146 0 0 0 New Conservative Party 10792 0 2902 0 0 0 –1 Social Democratic Party 5972 0 0 0 New Republican Women and Youth Party 2311 0 8502 0 0 0 New People's Progressive Party 2185 0 16720 0 0 0 New Uganda Patriotic Movement 470 0 0 0 New Activist Party 175 0 0 0 New Independents 2515163 44 2261897 17 5 66 +23 Uganda People's Defence Force 10 10 0 15277198 15277198 +51 Electoral Commission, Electoral Commission Reactions Domestic National Resistance Movement Party spokesman, Mike Kennedy Sebalu stated that "It appears as if our message that Uganda should maintain its path of steady progress for all, and not risk an untried and untested opposition, has resonated with the majority of Ugandan voters." Uganda's Museveni set to extend 30-year rule, opposition cries foul https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-election-idUSKCN0VT08A Reuters 2016-02-20 Edith Honan The Forum for Democratic Change opposition party issued its own election results and one senior FDC official was quoted by Reuters as saying that their statistics showed "glaring discrepancies" with the government's figures. On 21 February Kizza Besigye, who was under house arrest, stated "I call upon all of you citizens to protest...The only way to get out of this is to use the popular numbers that we have to make sure that the gunmen do not do what they are doing." International States Commonwealth of Nations: Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo led a 13 member group of monitors to represent the Commonwealth countries. He stated that the group was concerned over "the increased prevalence of money in politics, the misuse of state resources – which led to significant advantages for the incumbent – and the competence, credibility and ability of the Electoral Commission to manage the process effectively and impartially...The inexcusable delays of supply of material to polling stations, particularly in Kampala and its environs, and other deficiences in the process... have seriously detracted from the fairness and credibility of the result of the elections." Ugandan election commission lacks 'independence': EU observers http://www.globalpost.com/article/6735652/2016/02/20/ugandan-election-commission-lacks-independence-eu-observers Global Post/AFP 2016-02-20 2016-02-21 https://web.archive.org/web/20160221091535/http://www.globalpost.com/article/6735652/2016/02/20/ugandan-election-commission-lacks-independence-eu-observers deadUgandans cast their votes in 2016 general elections 18 February 2016 http://thecommonwealth.org/media/news/ugandans-cast-their-votes-2016-general-elections The Commonwealth European Union: EU observers reported a mixed reaction to the election and stated that "voting was conducted in a calm and peaceful environment in the vast majority of the country" but noted that the Electoral Commission lacked "transparency and independence." The EU's observers added that, "The National Resistance Movement (NRM's) domination of the political landscape distorted the fairness of the campaign, and state actors were instrumental in creating an intimidating atmosphere." United States: On Friday 19 February, Secretary of State John Kerry called President Museveni and according to a statement from the U.S. State Department, "urged President Museveni to rein in the police and security forces, noting that such action calls into question Uganda’s commitment to a transparent and credible election process free from intimidation."Secretary Kerry's Call with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC. February 19, 2016. References 30em External links Electoral Commission of Uganda Uganda Election Updates Uganda Category:Parliamentary elections in Uganda Category:Presidential elections in Uganda Category:2016 in Uganda Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results Category:February 2016 in Africa Category:Yoweri Museveni