HRW calls for probe into poll violations

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged international and domestic observers monitoring this week's presidential and parliamentary elections in Uganda to investigate alleged serious violations that could compromise the outcome of the polls. Ugandans will go the polls on Thursday in the first multi-party elections in two decades. Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is being challenged by four opposition candidates, including Kizza Besigye, who is widely seen as Museveni's main rival. "In essence these are multi-party elections in a one-party state," said Jemera Rone, HRW's East Africa coordinator. "We urge all the election observers to take that into account and to address allegations of abuse." In an open letter sent on Friday to domestic and international election monitors, HRW highlighted the main problems in the pre-election period that allegedly tilt the playing field in favour of Museveni's party, the National Resistance Movement Organisation. The letter said there has been intimidation and violence by security agents against opposition supporters, and selective use of prosecutions to hinder and intimidate opposition leaders. Areas of concern on election day included the conduct of non-police security forces at polling stations, intimidation and violence by party activists, objectivity of presiding officers at polling stations and the integrity of vote counting and tallying at all levels. Hundreds of local monitors, in addition to monitoring teams from the European Union, the Commonwealth and other governments, have begun to deploy across the country.