Museveni in early lead as EC releases provisional results

NAMBOOLE- Ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Yoweri Museveni, 71, is leading with 61.75 per cent, according to provisional results released Friday morning by Electoral Commission Chairman, Eng Badru Kiggundu.

By Friday morning, Mr Museveni had polled 1,362,961 votes from 6,448 polling stations, representing 23.02 per cent of 28,010 polling wards in the whole country.

The partial results have put the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Rtd. Col, Dr Kizza Besigye in the second slot, with 738,628 votes, representing 33.47 per cent of total results received at the National Tally Center at Namboole Stadium.

The Independent Go Forward candidate, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi is distant third with 41,291 votes (1.87 per cent), followed by Abed Bwanika of Peoples Development Party (PDP) who polled 22,180 votes (0.69 per cent) and independent candidate Prof. Venacious Baryamureeba is in fifth position with 15,260 votes (0.69 per cent).

The only female candidate in the race, Ms Maureen Walube Kyalya is in sixth position with 12,742 votes (0.58 per cent).

Another , Maj Gen Benon Biraro of the Farmer’s Party of Uganda (FPU) polled 7,228 votes (0.33 per cent) and independent candidate Joseph Mabirizi managed 6,833 votes (0.31 per cent). Invalid votes are 116, 804. There are 15,277, 198 registered voters taking part in the 2016 general elections.

Eng Kiggundu told the candidates’ agents, party representatives, media and election observers at Namboole Stadium that a winner will be announced on Saturday February 20th at 4pm. He earlier on indicated that there are 38 polling stations (16 in Makindye, a Kampala suburb and 22 in Wakiso district) where voting is expected to take place today (Friday). The voting in these areas did not take place because of delays and other logistical challenges.

Although voting experienced unprecedented delays and reports of pre-ticked ballot papers, the national presiding officer described the election as “successful” in spite of the glitches. “There is no any perfect election anywhere in the word,” Eng Kiggundu said earlier on.

Mr Kiggundu who appeared tense once again apologised for the delays and reiterated that remedies had been rolled out, including extending voting time from 4pm to 7pm even as thousands failed to vote. By 10:20 am more provisional results were expected to follow as Mr Kiggundu appealed for patience. He also promised that the results from the 38 polling stations will be included in the national tally before he announces the winner on Saturday.