Feb-04-06 State House blocks New Vision/Gallup opinion poll

State House has blocked an opinion poll commissioned jointly by the New Vision and the world-renown Gallup Organisation.

The poll, which was supposed to have been published in the Sunday Vision of January 29, 2006, showed FDC presidential candidate Colonel Kizza Besigye leading the race with 45 percent while President Yoweri Museveni was at 41 percent.

According to sources at the New Vision and State House, after Museveni saw the results, he ordered Brigadier Noble Mayombo, the Chairman of the New Vision board of directors, to change the results and show Museveni in the lead.

After Gallup protested and some government officials said the government would look bad if it tampered with the findings of such a respected research company, Museveni ordered the New Vision to block the results.

Museveni then requested Gallup to re-take their survey and give special attention to the sample size and variety.

An opinion poll announced by the Daily Monitor on February 2, 2006 showed Museveni leading Besigye with 50 percent.

Informed sources have revealed that Wilsken, the company contacted by Monitor to carry out its research, has been under pressure from security operatives to show Museveni in the lead.

The election takes place on February 23, 2006.