Feature: Uganda tightens security in anticipation of election violence

Fifty year old Matia Kiryowa, a peasant farmer in Mityana, central Uganda has seen it all regarding the country's elections. This time round his prayer is to have a peaceful election as the east African country heads to the polls on Thursday.

Kiryowa vividly remembers the country's 1980 elections which led to a five year rebellion that brought the current President Yoweri Museveni into power.

Dead bodies lay on the streets of the capital Kampala as the rebels led by Museveni matched on to the city and government troops fled. Back in the 1980, Museveni went to war saying the elections were rigged.

Ugly scenes played out on Wednesday as police blocked an opposition presidential candidate Kizza Besigye from leading a procession through the city center. Police argued that the procession would disrupt business in the central business district.

At the end of the running battles between the police and the opposition supporters, one person had died and several others had been injured. Police figures show that 19 people had been injured, one person killed and 22 suspects had been arrested.

"With one more day of campaigns, we shall continue securing the electoral environment, free from abuse for all voters, candidates, and the general public," Fred Enanga, police spokesperson said in a statement late on Monday.

The Thursday election is one of Uganda's much anticipated election as the incumbent Museveni will face off with two main presidential candidates, Besigye and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.

Museveni has been in power for over 30 years, making him one of Africa's longest serving leaders.

Kiryowa like many other Ugandans pray that such election violence scenes should not be allowed to continue because they will take the country back to its violent past where thousands of people died and other were made homeless.

"I would appeal to the current government that if it loses elections it should accept the results. Similarly, the opposition must also accept defeat if Museveni wins them," Kiryowa, a father of seven children and five grandchildren said.

As the campaigns for the general elections close on Tuesday, security in and around the capital has been beefed up.

Armed security personnel both military and police are patrolling the streets to prevent possible election violence.

Police over the last several weeks warned that those intending to perpetrate violence would face legal consequences. The warnings followed opposition candidates forming vigilante groups which they said are meant to protect their votes.

The opposition has also cried foul arguing that that police recruiting crime preventers is aimed at intimidating their supporters. Every village is supposed to have crime preventers.

For the first time in the country's election, a biometric identifying system, considered more effective in combating fraud, will be used.

Although voters will be expected to present their National Identity Cards and voters slip, those who do not have them but are on the national voters register will be allowed to vote, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Voters can only vote at the polling stations where they are registered.

Over 15. 2 million voters are expected to cast their votes, according to the IEC. Endit