UGANDA: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni addresses supporters during victory rally, promising to promote regional integration

Record ID: 214298

  • Title: UGANDA: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni addresses supporters during victory rally, promising to promote regional integration
  • Date: 5th March 2006
  • Summary: SUPPORTERS/CLOSE OF WOMAN BLOWING WHISTLE (3 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uganda
  • Country: Uganda
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9R7VPP6BIT8XCCTRJY1N3KQB
  • Story Text: Newly re-elected Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni presided over a colourful victory rally at Kampala's Kololo Independence grounds on Saturday (March 4) to thank Ugandans for a further five year term. The celebrations were attended by thousands of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters who sang and danced while sporting party colours, banners and Museveni portraits.
    Museveni's NRM scored a large win in last week's presidential and parliamentary elections where he was facing a serious challenge from his former physician and retired Colonel, Doctor Kizza Besigye.
    Museveni and his wife Janet, who is now a member of the Ugandan parliament after winning the Ruhaama parliamentary race, made a triumphant entry into the grounds with a large security detail. Hand in hand, they walked up the podium amidst cheers from their supporters.
    Addressing the supporters Museveni said he would commit more effort towards the East African Community before his new term expires.
    "Now in these five years I will give all my energies, with my brother Kakayi Kikwete and my elder president Mwai Kibaki to unite you people so that you remain strong people then I can go and look after my cows," said the President.
    Security was tight with both army and police present at the expansive grounds.
    Uganda's main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party said it would mount a court challenge to election results that extended President Yoweri Museveni's two-decade rule.
    Final results of the February 23 poll, announced on February 25, gave Museveni 59 percent of votes to Besigye's 37 percent.
    The opposition claims widespread rigging and intimidation of voters. The government has labelled them "bad losers".
    The FDC immediately rejected the results, and riot police firing tear gas and a water cannon drove hundreds of its supporters off the streets.
    In his first comments after winning, Museveni warned FDC leaders to forget about violence. He said they should accept the results and try again in five-year's time.
    Uganda's first multi-party polls for a quarter of a century were being closely watched in the West as a test of African democracy and for the signal it might send to others in the region who also enjoy lengthy stays in power.
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