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Oil find a big issue for Uganda poll

The discovery of oil in a Ugandan jungle by an Australian
company has become a big issue for the troubled Africa nation's landmark presidential election on Thursday. Riots, violence and the arrest of the main opposition leader on treason and rape charges have marred the lead-up to the first multi-party vote in 26 years. Some party rallies have been broken up with shots, tear gas and water cannon.
But one bright light on the campaign trail has been the success of Australia-based company Hardman Resources in finding the impoverished country's first signs of oil.
All five candidates have tried to bask in the glory of last
month's discovery. It has been billed as a major leap forward for the aid-dependent and impoverished economy even though a lot more work is needed to
prove the find is a commercial deposit.
Incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who has fought hard to stay ahead in the race after ruling for two decades has taken personal credit for bringing Hardman to Uganda.
Hardman announced in January that it had struck oil at its Mputa 1 test site and is now carrying out exploratory drilling at its Warga 1 site. Both locations lie near the shores of Lake Albert in western Uganda.
"Soon we shall be exploiting our oil and definitely the economy will improve because we shall be selling oil to neighbouring countries," said Museveni.
"The Hardman company has already discovered oil and what remains now is to establish whether it is commercially viable and then (pumping) it will begin."

The only woman in the presidential race Miria Obote said that if elected she would make sure that oil exploitation takes off in the shortest time possible.
Museveni's main challenger Kiiza Besigye has praised Hardman's work while also accusing the president of holding back the oil industry to keep Ugandans in poverty. Besigye, who used to be Museveni's doctor, has waged a dramatic bid for victory after prosecutors last month charged him with treason and rape after he returned from exile in South Africa last year.

Government supporters have filed several unsuccessful legal challenges to block his candidacy.

The latest polls show Museveni with about 47 per cent support. If he does not take more than 50 per cent of the vote, he will likely face Besigye in a run-off.
Besigye, who is free on bail, cancelled his last campaign event on Tuesday after riot police fired tear gas at hundreds of his supporters.
State-run television did not cover that event.
Museveni effectively banned parties when he seized power in 1986, blaming them for spreading sectarian hatred and leading Uganda into disaster in the 1970s under the late dictator Idi Amin.
Museveni restored the role of rival parties after a referendum last year and changed the constitution so that he could run for a third term.