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KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s authoritarian chief, who has been in energy since 1986, was confirmed on Tuesday as a candidate in January’s presidential vote and urged supporters to again his imaginative and prescient for the longer term.
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Electoral officers formally declared President Yoweri Museveni a candidate at an occasion simply outdoors of Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after greater than 2 million supporters signed on to again his bid, in accordance with his occasion.
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Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement controls the nationwide meeting, which is extensively seen as weak and subservient to the presidency. In 2017 lawmakers eliminated a constitutional age restrict on the presidency, leaving room for Museveni, now 81, to run for so long as he needs.
Museveni informed supporters after he was formally nominated that his purpose is “to persuade the individuals of Uganda of what has been achieved up to now and what we’re planning on doing now.”
Attracting extra overseas traders into the east African nation is a precedence, he mentioned.
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Hundreds have been gathering at ceremonial grounds in Kampala to rejoice the nomination afterward Tuesday.
Museveni first took energy by drive and remained unelected till 1996. Elections since 2001 have been marred by allegations of rigging and interference by the army, now led by Museveni’s son.
Museveni’s major political opponent, Bobi Wine, is a well-liked entertainer whose actual identify is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu. He is scheduled to be nominated later this week.
In the 2021 election, Wine secured 35% of the vote, whereas Museveni, with 58%, posted his worst-ever outcome, establishing Wine because the president’s most potent challenger in many years. Wine alleged his victory was stolen via widespread poll stuffing and different malpractices.
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Electoral authorities denied the allegations.
The January vote is predicted to reprise the competition between the 2. Museveni dismisses his opponent as an agent of overseas pursuits and has questioned his patriotism.
Yet Wine has a big following amongst working-class individuals in city areas, and his occasion has essentially the most seats of any opposition occasion within the nationwide meeting.
Museveni has been campaigning in current days in Kampala as he tries to bolster his probabilities amongst individuals prone to help Wine, city residents usually and not using a dependable supply of revenue who hope for a change of presidency.
Uganda has the second-youngest inhabitants on the earth, with greater than three quarters of its individuals under the age of 35, in accordance with the U.N. kids’s company. It is one in every of not less than 4 African nations which have agreed to obtain migrants deported from the United States.
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