By MAX DELANY and GODFREY OLUKYA - Associated Press
KAMPALA, Uganda -- (AP) Returns from Uganda's presidential election announced Saturday showed President Yoweri Museveni with a huge lead over his nearest rival, making it likely he will extend his 25-year hold on power.
With half of the votes counted, Museveni had about 70 percent of the ballots cast. His top rival, Kizza Besigye, had about 23 percent of the votes. Museveni took an early lead during vote-counting.
Final results are to be announced Sunday.
Electoral Commission chairman Badru Kiggundu said counting was going smoothly but he said there had been some problems on voting day. John Mary Odoy, director of Democracy Monitoring Group, said several abnormalities were reported during Friday's vote, including ballots pre-marked for Museveni's party and observers being refused access to polling stations.
"There is no election in the world that is 100 percent without problems," Kiggundu said.
"We are only five years into the current multiparty system."
Museveni, an ex-rebel commander who seized power at the head of a guerrilla army in 1986, once criticized African rulers who clung to power. But he sought another five-year term as a president who has fostered peace, stability and growth.
Museveni, who is vague about his age and is either 66 or 67, has mostly escaped the wrath recently aimed at other long-serving African leaders.
Kizza Besigye plans to release his own tally of results and is threatening Egypt-style unrest if the results are out of line with his backers' expectations.
Besigye insists Uganda is ready for popular revolt. Museveni has said there will be no Egypt-style protests in his country and that he will jail anyone who attempts to spark unrest.
While previous election campaigns were marred by violence against opposition candidates, observers say Museveni allowed opposition candidates a freer hand to campaign this year, perhaps thinking that allowing true competition would win him points with voters.
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