With nearly all the results in from Uganda's 
referendum on a multi-party system, the current 
government is winning by a wide margin.

Election officials say President Yoweri 
Museveni's movement system won about 90 percent of the 
ballots nationwide. Voter turnout was just over 40 
percent.

Uganda's leading opposition parties boycotted 
Thursday's referendum, so there was little campaigning 
on behalf of a return to multi-party politics. 
Democratic Party spokesman Anthony Ssekeweyama says 
the modest turnout is evidence of what he called an 
effective boycott. By comparison, voter turnout in 
Uganda's last presidential election four years ago was 
more than 70 percent.

Most oppositon leaders refused to take part in this 
referendum because they say the right to organize 
politically is a universal right, not something to be 
decided in a vote. Under the current system, parties 
are legal in Uganda but their activites are severely 
restricted.

They may not sponsor individual candidates nor hold 
national conventions. No new parties have been 
registered in the last 14 years of President 
Museveni's rule. Victory for his movement system in 
this referendum means those restrictions on political 
activity will continue through next year's 
presidential and parliamentary elections.

Opposition leaders say President Museveni has used the 
movement system to make Uganda a one-party state. They 
accuse him of trying to hang-on to power by 
debilitating political parties who might challenge him 
in parliament. Opposition leaders are critical of 
Uganda's continuing involvement in the war in the 
neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and accuse 
the government of widespread corruption.

President Museveni says Uganda has prospered over the 
last 14 years with more people having access to 
doctors, clean water, electricity, and telephones. He 
is expected to run for re-election next year and this 
referendum was seen by many as a way of testing the 
popularity of his movement. President Museveni says 
the country is not ready for a return to multi-party 
politics which he says divides the people along ethnic 
and religious lines.






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