Uganda's Museveni defends record ahead of polls

KAMPALA, Uganda (Reuters) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, facing the most serious challenge to his rule in years, vigorously defended his record on Thursday in a speech before senior political leaders.

With elections expected next February, Museveni has been put on the defensive by Colonel Kiiza Besigye, a former ally who announced last month he would stand for president and has seen his campaign gather momentum.

Museveni did not mention his rival's name in his two-hour speech on Thursday but instead reeled off the successes of his 14 years in power.

"The economy has been growing at an average of 6.3 percent since 1986. This is phenomenal if you know anything about economics," he told the National Executive Committee (NEC), the decision-making organ of Uganda's ruling "Movement."

By law, all Ugandans are members of the Movement under a "no-party" system of government that forbids political party activity. Museveni is chairman of the Movement and critics say it is effectively the country's ruling party.

Museveni said on Thursday that free market policies, a privatization programme and fiscal discipline had set the foundation for the economy's rapid growth.

"Uganda is a success story," he said, also listing improvements in investment, primary school enrollment and road construction.

He said the main restrictions on further growth came from "lingering terrorism" by a rebel group in the north, the continued existence of corruption, low tax collection and small internal markets for agricultural products.

Besigye was a senior commander in the guerrilla army that swept Museveni to power in 1986 and was prominent in the early years of Museveni's rule but he has been increasingly critical of his former ally in the last two years.

The independent Monitor newspaper reported on Thursday that two Internet polls showed Besigye drawing more support as a presidential candidate than Museveni.

No date has yet been set for the elections but they are expected in February.

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