US EMBASSY TO FIELD 60 ELECTION OBSERVERS IN UGANDA

The U.S. Embassy will dispatch 60 observers -- including 20 American officers and 40 Ugandan staffers of the Embassy -- to observe voting and vote counting in Uganda's general elections scheduled for this Thursday, February 23.  The U.S. Embassy observers, divided into 19 teams, will cover 13 districts in the central, northern, western and eastern regions of Uganda.  Regional coordinators for the observation teams have already conducted preliminary logistical and fact-finding missions in their areas of coverage.  The Embassy also has organized two training sessions for its observation teams.
 
Since the beginning of 2004, USAID has provided $2.85 million in support of programs related to Uganda's democratization process and the upcoming elections.  Working with the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and IFES, we have supported voter education and awareness and get-out-the-vote campaigns (with special attention to IDP camp residents), political party capacity-building, and programs aimed at increasing participation by women and people with disabilities, among other activities.  NDI has also provided technical assistance to DEMgroup, the consortium of non-partisan domestic monitors.

Chargé d'affaires Bill Fitzgerald said, "This election is for Ugandans to decide.  It is our privilege to serve as neutral observers of Uganda's democratic process.  We obviously hope that the election will be peaceful, fair and transparent, such that all Ugandans, no matter how they vote, will be able to view the final result as credible and democratic."