20110123
xinhua

Ugandan police said on Sunday that more police officers have been deployed in the capital Kampala to prevent any election violence as next month's general elections draw close.

Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, inspector general of Police told reporters here that on top of foot patrols, the number of patrol cars in the city will be increased from the current 18 to 45 cars and over 600 motorcycles will be given to police officers before the Feb. 18 presidential and parliamentary elections.

"The strategy we have is crime prevention, you prevent crime through visibility of security and through vigilance of the population," he said.

He urged the public to remain calm as the electoral process enters what he described as a critical stage.

He said the critical period will start when the campaigns close on Feb. 16, casting of ballots on Feb. 18 and the announcing of the results.

He warned that there are groups who are planning to put the city under siege if they do not win the elections.

"Anybody who has got those sinister plans, please abandon them, " he said, urging those vying for posts to instead put agents at polling centers to ensure the elections are free and fair.

Police and the country's election body, the Electoral Commission last week said that there are some militia groups set up by political parties and candidates to disrupt the elections.

Observers have warned that the election in Uganda if not handled well is likely to turn violent like in neighboring Kenya where over 1,000 people were killed in post-election violence in 2008.

There are eight candidates vying for Uganda's presidency.

The main contest however is widely expected to be between incumbent President Yoweri Museveni who has been in power for over 24 years and Kizza Besigye who has contested twice in 2006 and 2001.