Senior Press Secretary to President Yoweri Museveni, Don Wanyama, says it would be disappointing to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and its candidate if he fails to garner 80 per cent of the total votes cast.
Museveni, in power since 1986, is seeking to extend his rule to four decades.
For the first time in two decades, Museveni will not be competing against Dr Kizza Besigye of main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Besigye and his FDC still claim they have won some the four presidential election Museveni faced off with his former physician since 2001.
For example, the party claims Besigye polled 52 per cent of the total votes cast in the 2016 election. But official figures from the Electoral Commission (EC) gave Museveni 60.75 per cent and Besigye 35 per cent.
Even without Besigye, Museveni is not without challenger.
FDC is fronting Patrick Oboi Amuriat, believed to be a Besigye protégé.
Besides Amuriat, Museveni is facing two former bush war comrades: former army commander Maj Gen (Rtd) Gregg Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), and former security minister Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Kakurugu Tumukunde.
Other candidates include: Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party (DP), independent candidates Nancy Kalembe, and John Katumba.
With Besigye off the ballot, and most opposition candidates making their maiden attempts, Museveni and NRM hope to sweep the polls.
According to Wanyama, the fact that NRM won an average of 80 per cent in special interest group elections points to the win awaiting Museveni.
“The country has just emerged from elections of special interest groups, where the NRM scored above 80% in all the four major categories (Women, Youth, Older Persons & PWDs). They are results that defied faulty pollsters who claimed the party lacked support among urban and youthful demographics,” noted Wanyama.
“The only disappointment for the NRM and President Museveni will be if the party gets less than 80 percent in the 2021 elections.”
Wanyama is even confident that the NRM will retain its dominance in Parliament.
“Before the next Parliament is sworn-in, your party already has nine unopposed MPs,” he said.
