Kampala decked in colours of Ugandan president's party ahead of polls

With just days to go to Uganda’s general election, streets in the capital Kampala are decked out in campaign posters for incumbent President Yoweri Museveni.

The 81-year-old leader of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, who has ruled the country since 1986, is seeking re-election.

Despite his age and growing concern about his government's suppression of political opponents, human rights abuses, and corruption scandals, Museveni's supporters remain steadfast.

Lydia Nansangwawo, who is vice-secretary of the NRM’s national mobile task force, says the opposition’s promise of “a new country” leaves a lot of unknowns.

"We don't know what kind of a new country they are talking about. But what we are sure of is this country, we enjoy our country, we enjoy what our president has done for us and we  enjoy the security we have," she says.

One of Africa’s oldest leaders, Museveni’s government has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits  to allow him to stand in the polls.

A former rebel, he has been credited with stabilising Uganda, promoting economic growth, and combating HIV/AIDS.

And people like shopkeeper, Flavia Atubera, love him for it.

"He got Uganda when we were backward, but during the time he has spent here, very many things he has done for us. We have peace, we ladies we were not known in the community but now we are free to do what we want,” she says.

Ahead of the 15 January polls, the authorities have detained hundreds of opposition supporters.

The election will again pit Museveni against the 43-year-old pop-star-turned politician known as Bobi Wine.

Rights group, Amnesty International earlier this week accused Ugandan security forces of launching a “brutal campaign of repression” against Wine’s supporters.