The Ugandan Electoral Commission (EC) has set February 23, 2006 as date for presidential elections in the east African country, according to an announcement from the EC.

In a statement issued here on Friday evening, EC Chairman BadruKiggundu said the elections will start at 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) and end at 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) at all polling stations in the east African country.

Six candidates are to contest in the presidential elections. They are incumbent President Yoweri Museveni of the ruling National Resistance Movement, Moyor of Kampala John Ssebaana Kizito of the Democratic Party, Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Changes, Miria Kalule Obote of the Uganda People's Congress, and two independent candidates, Hajji Nasser Sebagala and Abed Bwanika.

Kiggundu said the EC had set December 16, 2005 to February 21, 2006 as the campaign period.

The EC chairman will meet the candidates on Monday for a briefing.

Presidential, parliamentary and district chairperson elections will be held on the same day.

The 2006 general elections will be the first multiparty elections to be held in the country in the last over 20 years.

Multiparty politics was banned in Uganda following the government's concern that they were creating divisions among Ugandans. Political parties were only allowed to operate in abeyance.

The referendum was held on July 28, 2005 voted for the return of multiparty politics.

Source: Xinhua