2006年VOA标准英语-Ugandan Opposition Leader Challenges Elect

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
23 March 2006
 
 
Kizza Besigye talks on the phone, after he was acquitted¹ of rape² charges at High Court in Kampala
  
Ugandan opposition³ politician Kizza Besigye is challenging the results of the country's February 23 elections, alleging⁴ that the ruling party committed electoral fraud and other offenses⁵ to win.

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One of Besigye's lawyers, Sam Njuba, describes to VOA the case, which is in its second day of deliberations in court.

"We have got three grounds," said Mr. Njuba.  "One is about the commission of electoral offenses.  Another one is about failure by electoral commission to observe the principle of fairness. [The] third one is numbers: if we can prove substantially [that there was a] sufficient number of people who did not vote or who were rejected."

Njuba alleges⁶ that members of the ruling party led by President Yoweri Museveni bribed⁷ voters, stuffed ballot⁸ boxes, wrongly called Besigye a "military deserter," and committed other offenses to win the election.

Ofwono Opondo is the director of information with President Museveni's party, called The Movement.  He tells VOA he thinks Besigye is a sore loser, and that he has no case in court.

"If Besigye is saying the elections were rigged, were they only rigged where he lost, or even where he won, because where he won he won overwhelmingly," he explained.

Besigye was widely seen to be the leading contender against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in the country's February 23rd elections.  President Museveni captured 59-percent of the vote, while Besigye took 37-percent.

Besigye, who heads the Forum⁹ for Democratic Change party, also ran against President Museveni in the 2001 elections.

The opposition politician returned to Uganda last October after more than four years in exile.  He was arrested the following month and charged with rape and treason in High Court and terrorism and illegal possession of firearms in military court.  He was jailed throughout most of the campaign period.

Although Besigye was cleared of rape, he still faces other charges, both in High Court and potentially in a military court.

It is widely believed that the charges were politically motivated, designed to prevent Besigye from campaigning fully¹⁰ and to ruin his reputation, charges that the ruling party denies. 

1 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

2 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

5 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

6 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

7 bribed   

v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• They bribed him with costly presents. 他们用贵重的礼物贿赂他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He bribed himself onto the committee. 他暗通关节，钻营投机挤进了委员会。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

9 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。