UGANDA: UGANDANS VOTE IN REFERENDUM ON WHETHER TO KEEP A NON-PARTY POLITICAL SYSTEM OR RETURN TO A MULTIPARTY FORMULA

Record ID: 328712

  • Title: UGANDA: UGANDANS VOTE IN REFERENDUM ON WHETHER TO KEEP A NON-PARTY POLITICAL SYSTEM OR RETURN TO A MULTIPARTY FORMULA
  • Date: 27th June 2000
  • Summary: KAMPALA, UGANDA (JUNE 29, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN: VOTERS QUEUING IN WORKING CLASS AREA OF KAMPALA 0.09 2. SV: PEOPLE VOTING 0.14 3. MV: BALLOT PAPER 0.22 4. MV: MAN FILLING-IN BALLOT PAPER IN BLUE BOWL 0.29 5. SV: WOMAN WITH CHILD VOTING 0.33 6. MV: WOMAN STEPPING OVER MUD TO VOTE 0.42 7. VARIOUS OF VOTING IN MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (6 SHOTS) 1.08 8. VARIOUS OF VOTING IN SLUM AREA (2 SHOTS) 1.25 KAMPALA, UGANDA (JUNE 28, 2000)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PARTY RALLY CALLING FOR BOYCOTT (2 SHOTS) 1.40 10. CU: SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) YOUTH LEADER ROBERT CHIRIGA SAYING: "There is manipulation. They are using us just in campaigns, just in voting. And when I look at the government, the system, the way I look at it (is) as a dictatorship system. 1.58 11. SV: BANNER SAYING: 'WE SHALL DIE STANDING FOR OUR FREEDOM. UGANDA BELONGS TO ALL OF US, NOT JUST TO A FEW.' 2.04 12. CU: SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) CHIRIGA SAYING: "He (Museveni) lacks ideas right now. And the way he is attacking our neighbours, neighbouring countries (Rwanda - RDCongo), it seems that after the referendum, there will be more chaos. It is the reason why we are not going to vote.) 2.22 13. PULL OUT: BANNER SAYING: AMERICANS, BRITISH, U.N.,OAU, 'THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU AS UGANDANS ARE OPPRESSED BY MUSEVENI' 2.31 14. SV: ANOTHER BANNER READING 'AMIN WENT, OBOTE WENT, MUSEVENI IS GONE.' 2.33 KAMPALA, UGANDA (JUNE 27, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. SLV: MUSEVENIS MOVEMENT REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN ARRIVING 2.43 16. SV: MUSEVENI RECEIVING FLOWERS 2.51 17. SV: MUSEVENI SHAKING HANDS 2.57 18. VARIOUS OF MUSEVENI SUPPORTERS SINGING (2 SHOTS) 3.10 19. SV: MUSEVENI SHAKING MORE HANDS 3.24 20. MV: UGANDAN SOLDIERS AND CROWD 3.29 21. SV: MUSEVENI ADDRESSING MEETING AND TAKING HAT OFF 3.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KAMPALA, UGANDA
  • Country: Uganda
  • Reuters ID: LVAUSUXRQVYYFQ9VK55JNW7Z6ZK
  • Story Text: Ugandans have voted in a referendum to decide whether
    to retain a non-party political system or return to a
    multi-party formula which President Yoweri Museveni argues
    could revive the horrors of the past.

    The rather apathetic electoral campaign, has been largely
    overshadowed by the looming war with neighbour and former ally
    Rwanda.



    When the morning rain eased, a steady stream of
    voters cast their ballots at simple open air polling stations
    around the capital, but apathy and a call for a boycott by
    multi-party activists looked set to combine to produce a low
    turnout.

    In Thursday's (June 29) referendum, Ugandans were being
    asked to vote on whether to continue with the no-party
    political system espoused by Museveni or to return to
    multi-party politics.

    The popular Museveni says multi-partyism would reopen old
    tribal divisions, an argument most Ugandans appear to accept.

    But critics say the Ugandan people are being asked to vote
    away their democratic rights, and say the formidable resources
    of the state are being brought to bear to influence the
    result.

    Last year the European Union warned aid to Uganda might be
    cut if the opposition was not allowed to campaign freely ahead
    of the referendum. It has since quietly dropped its threat.

    The electoral campaign was quiet, rather unenthusiastic,
    and greatly overshadowed by the recent conflict with the
    former Rwandan ally.

    The two major opposition parties, the Democratic Party and
    Obotes former party, the Uganda Peoples Congress, had called
    for a boycott, arguing that pluralist politics are a basic
    human right which should not be put up to a vote.

    Banners urging the international community to pay
    attention to Uganda were waved by opposition supporters.

    Democratic Party youth leader Robert Chiriga told Reuters
    the vote was a manipulation. "They are using us just in
    campaigns, just in voting. And when I look at the government,
    the system, the way I look at it (is) as a dictatorship
    system," he said.

    Supporters of multi-partyism say restrictions have
    prevented them from campaigning effectively in the run-up to
    the referendum, and several multi-party rallies have been
    broken up by police.

    The Movement, they say, is barely distinguishable from
    the state, and enjoyed extensive government funding of its
    campaign.

    Museveni has campaigned vigorously around the small East
    African country, promising roads, schools and healthcare in
    what appeared to be a warm-up for next years presidential
    elections.

    At a rally in the capital Kampala on Tuesday, around
    20,000 people came to see their president, in his trademark
    floppy hat, arrive in a bright yellow bus -- the symbol of the
    Movement.

    Despite armed rebellions in the north and west of the
    country, most Ugandans have enjoyed relative stability and
    growing prosperity under Musevenis' stewardship.

    The Movement has led Uganda since Museveni took power in
    1986 after a five-year guerrilla struggle, with political
    parties allowed to exist in name only.

    The president has repeatedly warned Ugandans that a
    return to multi-partyism would mean a return to the tribal and
    religious divisions preyed on by former presidents Idi Amin
    and Milton Obote to tighten their own grip on power.

    Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in
    indiscriminate purges in a decade and a half of tyrannical
    rule under the two leaders, and many of the voters on Thursday
    appeared to have taken Musevenis message to heart.

    While the results of the referendum are expected on
    Saturday, attention turns again toward the tense relationship
    with Rwanda, after both armies clashed repeatedly in
    Kisangani.

    The war threat overshadowed the whole electoral campaign.

    Troops are currently massed on both sides of the border.

    Uganda and Rwanda first sent troops into the Congo as
    allies, backing a rebel movement that sought to overthrow
    Kabilas government.

    But relations between Rwanda and Uganda turned sour last
    year and they have now battled three times for control of
    Kisangani, a centre of the Congos diamond trade.

    Democratic party youth leader Robert Chiriga told Reuters
    many fear that Musevenis reinforcement by referendum could
    lead to further chaos with neighbouring countries.

    Rwandan President Kagame is expected in the Ugandan
    capital on Saturday for a two day official visit expected to
    ease tensions between the two countries. Results of the
    referendum are expected on the same day.
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