The election poll results released by Afrobarometer yesterday showing President Museveni is leading with 66% if Ugandans voted today, has come under more criticism from researchers.
Dr. Patrick Wakida, a Kampala based researcher says that the opinion poll results are difficult to explain and defend and cannot be believed.
Nobert Mao DP Presidential Candidate
Dr. Wakida says that it is difficult to explain how a candidate who got 39% of the vote in the last elections can get a paltry 12% in this poll. Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Inter party cooperation came second in the Afro barometer opinion poll with 12%, while Democratic Party’s Nobert Mao came 3rd with 3%.
Dr. Wakida also says since the poll shows that 63% those interviewed in the opinion poll said they are not free to talk about politics, it means very few people responded genuinely and the results cannot be believed.
He also says the poll should have been conducted after candidates were deep into the campaigns when the public has had a chance to digest what the candidates are promising. The academic says the Afrobarometer poll conducted between November 24th and December 6th was done when some candidates are not yet known by electorate, and such results end up biasing the polls.
The opposition in Uganda has already criticised the polls as a ploy to give a bad impression to voters that the incumbent President Museveni has support. MP Issa Kikungwe of DP says the opinion poll is aimed at brainwashing the electorate, while Joseph Bbosa the Secretary of Uganda People’s Congress says there is no way Museveni can score 66% in any genuine opinion poll when all the other 7 presidential candidates are enjoying good support as they go on campaigning.
Forum for Democratic Change Mobiliser, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu says the results indicate the poll were carried out in a climate of intimidation and Afrobarometer has published a report that doesn’t show the voting intentions of Ugandans.
However, the NRM has welcomed the opinion poll results, with the Party’s Deputy Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo saying it is in line with their own poll which recently indicated that Museveni is headed for outright win in the elections to be conducted on February 18th 2011.
Eight candidates are competing to lead Uganda, including Museveni, Besigye, Mao, UPC’s Olara Otunu, People’s Development Party’s Dr. Abed Bwanika, Uganda Federal Alliance’s Betty Olive Kamya, People’s Progressive party’s Jabeli Bidandai Ssali and independent candidate Samuel Walter Lubega.