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| Large Turnout Expected in Uganda's General Election |
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Observers here expected a heavy poll in Thursday's general elections as most Ugandans overflowed with enthusiasm for the east African country's first ever multiparty election in 20 years. "Eligible voters, no matter which side they stand for, seemed eager about the big day and we can predict that there will be a large turnout in tomorrow's polling," said Victor Torchi, the team head of African Union Observer Mission for Uganda during an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Wednesday in Kampala. "We are impressed by Ugandans' political enthusiasm. They want the process to go head, not to stop, for it is a historic event which will determine the country's fate," said Torchi. Uganda will on Thursday hold its presidential and parliamentary elections, which is the first multiparty election to be held in over 20 years. Multiparty politics was banned in Uganda almost 20 years ago following the government's concern that they were creating divisions among Ugandans. Political parties were only allowed to operate in abeyance. A referendum held on July 28, 2005 voted for the return of multiparty politics. Thus, the no-party or Movement system of government will end after Thursday's elections. The 11- member AU observer mission, arriving in Uganda on Sunday, will go to polling stations around the country to supervise the voting process. Some observers are expected to go to the west part of the east African country where the incumbent president came from and two other teams will visit two districts in east part, home for some other candidates. "The Ugandan Election Commission has done lots of preparation and the process goes well with over 19,000 polling stations have been set up," said Tochi. One of African Union's missions is to ensure all the eligible voters have access to polling stations. To ensure people's rights to vote is key to the success of an election, he said, adding that if a rural resident has to walk twenty km to a polling station, it equals depriving of his right to vote. Abdoul Kouroma, the group coordinator of the mission, told Xinhua that the mission would be in Uganda up to March 1 to ensure that all election-related activities are done with. If they observed anything out of the ordinary, they would report it to the public and the authorities. "So far, there are no negative elements that are supposed to prevent democracy from taking place. We hope tomorrow's poll will be peaceful and fair," said Kouroma. (Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2006) |
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