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Backgrounder: Uganda general elections in 2016

Xinhua, February 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Ugandans will head to the polls Thursday to elect a new president and legislators.

Over 15.2 million people, who are above 18 years as stipulated in the country's laws, are expected at the polls organized by the country's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

There are three main candidates, including incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and Kizza Besigye of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change.

There are also other five candidates who include, Abed Bwanika, Benon Biraro, Maureen Kyalya, Joseph Mabirizi and Venansius Baryamureeba.

Security has been beefed up across the country in anticipation of possible violence

Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. local time and close at 4:00 p.m. and thereafter vote counting will start.

This year for the first time 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 IEC. Voters can only vote at the polling stations where they are registered.

The major contest is expected to be between Museveni, Besigye and Mbabazi.

Museveni has been in power for the last 30 years after he won a five-year guerrilla war in 1986. In 1996 he organized general elections which he won and the subsequent ones. Endit