PHOTOS: Musevenis win met by chilly reception in Kampala
Uganda’s Electoral Commission declared Yoweri Museveni the winner of the February 18 polls, and this has elicited a rather cold reception from locals in different parts of Uganda.
A spot-check by Citizen Digital on the streets of Kampala, which is Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Kizza Besigye’s stronghold, painted a picture of a somber city, which had hoped for a turn in tide.
Most shops in the city remained closed due to widely spread fears of violence, with most parts of the Central Business District remaining deserted.
In other areas, the residents went on with their business in a peace as the military and regular police kept vigil.
Museveni, 71, was declared president by the EC chair Badru Kaggundu on Saturday guaranteeing him a five-year addition to his 30-year rule.
The National Resistant Movement (NRM) leader garnered 5,617,503 votes (60.75 per cent), while Kizza Besigye got 3,270,290 translating to 35.37 per cent. Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi was third with 132,574 votes.
Speaking after the announcement, NRM Secretary General Justine Lumumba Kasule said the government will revisit the promises made during the campaigns and also look at the issues raised during the presidential debate to make Uganda better.
EU Election Observers have however raised concern over the transparency of the elections putting the EC on the spot over uncoordinated operations that led to delayed voting in different parts of the country.
Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) Eduard Kukan further hit out at the Ugandan government for blocking social media during the voting and tallying periods.
Besigye has rejected the results terming them a sham while calling for an independent audit of the same.
The FDC presidential candidate had been under house arrest the whole of Saturday as the commission announced the results.
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