Up to 47 percent of Ugandans do not know that presidential election will be held on February 23, state-owned newspaper The New Vision reported on Friday.

"Only 53 percent of Ugandans know the presidential election will be held on February 23, and only 33 percent are aware that parliamentary election will be held on the same date. Only 11 percent knew local council elections are scheduled for February 28,2006," the newspaper quoted a survey commissioned by the International Republican Institute (IRI) as saying.

IRI is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing global democracy, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The survey was carried out by Wilsken Agencies between January 20 and 24.

"The July 2005 referendum on the multiparty system passed with the support of 93 percent of voters. Thus, the no-party or Movement system of government will end after this month's election. However, nearly a majority, 49 percent, of Ugandans believe the Movement system will continue to operate after the February 23 elections," IRI said.

IRI said the results indicated need for voter education. But the Electoral Commission (EC) headed by Badru Kiggundu says it is soon starting an aggressive voter education exercise to cover the country. The exercise will, among other things, involve road shows and mobile film shows.

According to the survey, 60 percent of Ugandans have confidence in the ability by the EC to organize the exercise well. The respondents also believe there will be few incidents of violence during the polls. Only 12 percent cited incidents of intimidation.

"An overwhelming 79 percent of those sampled believe a voter's card is required for voting when Ugandan election law stipulates that no voter card is necessary in order to cast a ballot. A significant majority of 57 percent believe that their photograph needs to appear on the voters," the survey said.

A total of 1,200 people were contacted in the survey, with females and males being equally represented. Out of those, 14 percent were from urban areas and 86 percent from rural areas.

The forthcoming elections will be the country's first multiparty elections since political parties were banned 20 years ago for allegedly causing sectarianism among Ugandans.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2006)