The exchange began when moderator and CBS newsman Bob Schieffer asked the former Massachusetts governor how he would pay for expanding the U.S. military.

“What you can’t do,” Obama lectured, “is spend $2 trillion on additional military spending that the military is not asking for, $5 trillion on tax cuts, you say that you’re going to pay for it by closing loopholes and deductions without saying what those loopholes and deductions are, and then somehow you’re also going to deal with the deficit that we’ve already got. The math simply doesn’t work.”

CNN meter reading the interest level of undecided voters shot up toward the top level as the president spoke with conviction.

Gov. Romney voiced confidence at his ability to make the numbers work.

“I’m pleased that I’ve balanced budget,” he said. “I was in the world of business for 25 years. If you didn’t balance your budget, you went out of business. I went to the Olympics, it was out of balance, and we got it in balance and made a success there. I had a chance to be governor of a state.

“Four years ago, Democrats and Republicans came together to balance the budget. We cut taxes 19 times; balanced our budget. The president hasn’t balanced a budget yet, I expect to have an opportunity to balance it myself. Let’s talk about military spending,” he said.

Romney added that, “Our navy is smaller now than any time since 1917. The navy said they needed 313 ships to carry out their mission. We’re now down to 295. We’re headed down to the low 200 if we go through sequestration. That’s unacceptable to me.”

Obama responded with barely veiled irritation as if Romney were a student who just didn’t get it.

The military had changed since the 19th century, he said. “We have these things called air craft carriers,” said Obama. “Planes land on them.”

Obama repeatedly charged that Romney had been “all over the map” in his policy positions.”

The Senegalese music star Youssou N’Dour has said he will stand in next month’s presidential elections, mounting a high-profile challenge to the west African state’s veteran leader, Abdoulaye Wade.

N’Dour is a vocal critic of Wade, who is hoping to extend his 11-year rule by getting re-elected in February against a field of about a dozen rivals.

“I am a candidate. I will engage in the presidential race,” N’Dour said in a broadcast on his own TFM (Television Futurs Medias) radio and television station.

N’Dour has widely criticised what he calls the profligate spending of the Wade leadership in a country where formal employment is scarce and average income per head is $3 (£1.90) a day.

N’Dour enjoys huge popularity in Senegal for his music, which helped expose the country’s unique mbalax drumming and singing styles to the mainstream, but it remains unclear whether he will be able to translate his fame into votes.

“For a long time, men and women have demonstrated their optimism, dreaming of a new Senegal,” he said on Monday. “They have, in various ways, called for my candidacy in the February presidential race. I listened. I heard.

“It is true that I do not have a university education – but the presidency is not something you go to school for.”

N’Dour, who collaborated with Neneh Cherry on the international hit 7 Seconds, announced in November he was cancelling concert dates to focus on politics.

The election, on 26 February, has been dominated by a noisy constitutional row over whether Wade, 85, has the right to stand for a third term in a country that prides itself on a record of peaceful leadership changes.

The revised Senegalese constitution limits presidential terms to two, but Wade argues that this should not apply to his first term, which started in 2000, as this pre-dated the amendment.

Resentment over Wade’s leadership boiled over in June when Wade proposed new electoral rules, which his critics said would have made it easier for him to win the poll and eventually hand power over to his son.

Also enraged by chronic power cuts, protesters clashed with riot police in the capital, Dakar, leaving more than 100 wounded and forcing the president to back down.

An opponent of Wade’s was detained last week on suspicion of involvement in a fatal shooting, underlining tensions ahead of the poll.

PowerFM Stream – Click to Play

The state’s propaganda KCNA news agency has expectedly declared Kim’s young son and heir apparent as the “great successor”, making it almost certainly clear that the suspected infighting view held among Western powers, between ruling politburo’s generals has lost some relevance.

The announcers also urged the nation and its people and the military to unite behind the heir and to “faithfully revere” the young Kim Jong-un.

Our man in neighbouring South Korea, but with strong reliable contacts in North Korean, Dennis Mwambala had earlier told Politico that the North Korean leader suffered a heart attack on Saturday, and KCNA confirmed Mwambala’s report adding that the heart attack was due to what they described as physical and mental overtax. KCNA reported that the mercurial leader was on his trademark train travelling to give “field guidance” to workers, when death occurred.

Video’s of a frail Kim had made rounds on the Internet after a reported stroke in 2008 but the dictator had since been reported as having fully recovered, and his passing on Monday took many by surprise.

In perhaps what looked like a sign of a looming end of an era, Kim had already started to prepare Kim Jong-un to be in charge of a nation talked of being in ruins though very few outside its borders can reliably claim knowledge what exactly is taking place there. In the clearest of moves, he appointed his son a general last year and augmented his profile with roles that could only be entrusted with very high-ranking officials loyal to the dead leader.

Politico’s Dennis Mwambala says Kim Jong-un comes at a time when there is rising scepticism about the Pyongyang administration and he may have to adopt a style slightly different from his father’s own to avoid a backlash. The sceptics are said to be benefiting from the regime’s failure to deliver even the most basic of economic needs while regimenting the country to unprecedented levels. Corporal punishments are not uncommon here and an estimated 200, 000 people are languishing in prison camps.

Unknown thousands have been brutally killed or are feared dead and in less than a year ago the UN Special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea described the situation there as “sui generis”, adding: “Simply put, there are many instances of human rights violations which are both harrowing and horrific.”

But according to the Associated Press, ordinary men and women on the streets of restricted state’s capital Pyongyang burst into tears as they learnt of Kim’s death.

Basing on information from his North Korean contacts, Politico’s Mwambala said the situation there is certainly bad but may not be unbearable by all the country’s 24 million people as reported in Western media; and that it is true that the politburo’s leader had wielded support through grass-root cadres whose main job is to spread propaganda and instil fear.

During the announcement of Kim’s death a tearful ‘all black-dressed’ newsreader told viewers: “It is the biggest loss for the party … and it is our people and nation’s biggest sadness,” She pushed for the nation to “change our sadness to strength and overcome our difficulties”.

North Korea has long been a source of international concern following its nuclear and missiles ambitions and there will be some nervousness about potential instability and the implications of the change in leadership.

From Washington, DP USA’s leader Deogratius Kawunde told Politico that South Korean top military brass had declared an emergency alert following Kim’s death and that although in the corridors of Capitol Hill politicians did not show any gnashing of teeth about Kim’s death, there was a degree of unease among all he talked to about the change of leadership in North Korea.

The White House said Barack Obama was monitoring reports of the death.

“We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies,” a spokesman added.

While not many analysts can predict the kind of leader the Kim Jon-un will be, Politico’s Francis Busi, a Masters student at the University of Cape Town with an ardent curiosity about the politics of dynasties, predicts that Pyongyang under young Kim will be different and was likely to start on a new journey of reaching out to the International Community and try to get out of isolation but compromises on the South may take years to reach.

“Certainly the doubts about how easy it will be for younger man – thought to be in his late 20s – to uphold the Communist dynasty founded by his grandfather Kim II-sung, who died in 1994, will linger on but Kim will seek to talk peace with the US especially that cynicism about him and his regime will be relentless”, he said

The younger Kim’s name led a long list of officials on the older Kim’s funeral committee, clearly indicating he will lead it. KCNA said the funeral will take place in Pyongyang on 28 December, with the mourning period lasting until 29 December.

The North Korean dictator’s last public appearance was reported by the state news agency on Thursday. He reportedly visited a supermarket and music centre, accompanied by his son.

The news of his passing is likely to be a particular shock in North Korea – where Kim has been revered as much as he has been denigrated by the outside world – because his death comes days before the commencement of 2012.

The government has long promoted next year at the point at which the country would achieve development and prosperity. For years it has been struggling with food shortages and an economy in crisis and the regime will do everything to consolidate Kim Jong-un as the most ingenuous, flawless leader. Political cynicism will be the one for the regime to beat though.

Hostalite Stream

Issa Kikungwe, DP’s Treasurer/MP for Kyadondo South, who led the final push to the last for Nabukenya right across the length and breadth of this diverse district, talked of the result as ”a massive one and that it sent out a clear message to Mr Museveni and his faltering government about taking the people of Luwero for granted, the rising commodity prices in the face of deepening poverty, stinking corruption and the continued abuse of human rights”.

Without giving a clear reason, Salam Musumba, at the tallying centre at Luwero District Headquarters, said she was happy with the FDC’s performance.

The winner DP’s Brenda Nabukenya said her campaign was run by an army of local volunteers and that her victory sent out a clear message to Museveni’s government which she branded as a “sinking ship”.

“The people of Luwero have spoken not only for Luwero but for the whole Uganda,” Mrs Nabukenya said, adding that these are early days but this victory has indicated that everything is possible and if we carry on walking that extra mile, we will overcome. Yes we will”

The by-election was called after a court found NRM’s Rebecca Nalwanga had ‘bought voters in February 18 election and invalidated the result.

No opposition party has ever won the seat in the 25 years of the Museveni rule, but this time fired up DP showed resolute and took on a behemoth (NRM) in unprecedented decline, and against all odds secured a hard fought victory – finishing 30 votes ahead of their closest rivals with 14,915 votes from the district’s 340 polling stations.

There were unconfirmed reports of ballot and security forces’ disturbances, apparently all in favour of the NRM’s candidate Rebecca Nalwanga, but DP’s share of the vote even with its weak financial muscle will certainly give NRM something to think about its own future.

Although the FDC’s Ms Zaida Gwokyalya failed to nick the seat, her share of the vote, in third place, may have favoured the DP and her party will also take heart from the 3775 votes she polled, a slight increase from the annulled February 18 election result.

Questions will however be asked of the relevance of Dr Kizza Besigye in Uganda’s politics. The retired colonel combed through this North Western Buganda district in the last days of the campaign in an attempt to bolster his candidate’s image but the voters had different ideas; his turf–thumping had failed to translate into votes.

Tellers reported a low turnout in an election whose result now stands to change the Luweero political landscape forever.

In fourth position was Ms Anna Kirabo Asiimwe (Ind) who polled 3687 votes, followed by Ms Else Namagambe (Ind) 2193 and Dr Lugudde Nabatanzi(Ind) – who successfully challenged, in courts, Nalwanga’s victory of February 18 election result – trailed with 191 votes, according to the official results released by Luweero District Returning Officer Mr Peter Kasozi at 1:00am on Tuesday at the District headquarters amidst heavy police deployment.

The first electoral test for Museveni’s faltering NRM government since it took office
in May produced a clear-cut win on Friday for the

Erias Lukwago, the DP youthful stalwart who parted company with Mao-led DP to stand as an independent, became Kampala’s 16th mayor Tuesday after  a landslide victory that saw closest challenger, Peter Ssematimba, lose at own polling station.

The fierce ascendancy, to the helm of Kampala city government, of Lukwago capped a gripping election battle of epic proportions during which government security forces were heavily deployed on Kampala street to apparently target hard-line supporters of the two leading  between Lukwago, the outgoing Kampala central MP, and NRM’s flagbearer Ssematimba.

In line with custom, the Kampala District Returning Officer, Molly Mutazindwa, declared Mr Lukwago winner at just after 5.00 am – a legitimate denouement to an unprecedented dogfight between the Mayor-elect and Ssematimba for the White Hall in an election that has left the city irreconcilably polarised.

The fierce ascendancy, to the helm of Kampala city authority, of Lukwago capped a gripping election battle of epic proportions during which government security forces were heavily deployed – and remain dotted – on all Kampala streets to apparently target hard-line supporters of bitter rivals Lukwago, the outgoing Kampala central MP, and NRM’s flagbearer Ssematimba.

Lukwago had been seemingly waiting patently, eyes wide open and glued on EC tallying officials, as results trickled in.

He walked from the hall with his aides and campaign strategists in the midst of cacophony so typical of occasions like this. The gigantic throng of photographers provided the soundtrack as their shutters fired.

And then the outgoing Kampala Central MP and assertive human rights activist approached a vast collection of microphones set on the pedestrian walk-way at the UMA gates in front of the massed ranks of the country’s media.

“The victory is for the people of Kampala and the rest of Uganda. I am going to work for a fundamental change in the city,” Lukwago reiterated the message that defined his tenacious and ultimately successful campaign.

Gone was Mr Ssematimba who had earlier waited (until it became clear Lukwago was heading for a landslide) with other candidates at Lugogo Tally centre where Mr Lukwago was announced winner just under an hour ealier.

Gone too, at least on paper, was Mr Nasser Ssebaggala during whose wretched tenure Kampala has become a squalor.

But the new city leader was keen to pay tribute to Kampalans of all hues for standing by him through-and-through a hard fought campaign and for their dedicated contribution to the city in the face of immense difficulty.

And he was keen too to emphasise the need for a competent KCCA Chief Executive, with whom he hopes to work closely for a common cause. In a cajoling tone many have come to expect, Mr Lukwago advised Museveni not to appoint his foe Ssematimba  or the outgoing Mayor Ssebaggala as Chief Executive, a clearest signal yet that central government overreach will not be tolerated by the Lukwago administration.

Relations with Nakasero could also become problematic. Mr Lukwago is deeply skeptical over full cooperation with Mr Museveni’s government, and remains probably the leading high profile opposition leader, at least in Kampala, critical of the stinking corruption and incompetency at the heart of the Museveni government, itself a towering edifice of repression and backwardness.

“My administration will act responsibly,” Lukwago said on the night when police reported no major incidents of dissent. “We will act to fight corruption on all fronts to create an environment in Kampala that our people deserve.”

As on previous occasions, Mr Lukwago, dressed sharply in a suit and bright orange tie, spoke confidently with no notes.

In the fading darkness of the night, he talked of rebuilding hope and trust in the city establishment.

But he also talked of building a more responsible society, with a stronger sense of community because “the city belongs to us all”.

His own collection of strategists was close by. Among them Mr Moses Kasibante, a former CBS employee who lost a seat he had won to NRM’s Singh Katongole after a controversial recount of votes in the disputed Lubaga North parliamentary election.

Mr Kasibante, with hands clasped in front of his chest, for obvious reasons looked less confident than his friend and lawyer, who stood addressing Kampala and probably the entire nation on the night.

Also present was Lukwago’s lawyer and undisputed M-elect for the Wakiso District constituency of Busiro East, Medard Sseggona, FDC vice-president Salaamu Musumba and MP-elect for Kyadondo East Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda.

Lukwago victory was unprecedented; he beat his opponents in all the five divisions of Kampala, including Rubaga Division where Peter Ssematimba is the LC3 chairman. Here Mr Lukwago garnered 62,791 votes, while Sematimba had 30,115. Amazingly Lukwago also won at a polling station in Kakeeka, Rubaga division, where his closest Ssematimba had cast his own vote on polling day.

Lukwago now takes the reins of a city choking under the weight of  despicable problems emanating from failure in application by city authority mandarins, excessive corruption/widespread kickbacks, Museveni’s overreach and incompetent mayoral leadership: traffic jams, illegal and irresponsible driving, garbage, congestion, poor housing and health, poor drainage, a poor road network, record low employee morale and milliards of other challenges.

Mr Lukwago remains a Democratic Party member but disputes, with vehemence, Mao’s leadership and he is yet to signal any reconciliatory efforts to, at least, forge party camaraderie.

Lukwago Profile

* Born: 1970 to Hajj Muhammad Mirundi and Hajjat Salmati Nkayaga, has over 20 siblings, we are told.

* Family: married to Nnalongo Lukwago, twins and another two children

* Education: Kampala Students Centre; Makerere University Kampala.

* Assembly: A Nkoba Za Mbogo Students Association, UYD and DP member.

* Early work: experience included working as a teacher.

* Pre-parliamentary career: worked as a voluntary political aide for senior DP figures including Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere.  A strong UYD organiser, worked his way up to became a recognisable DP activist; worked as Lawyer at Lukwago and co. advocates in Kampala.

* Elected DP MP for Kampala central in 2006.

* In parliament, he served as shadow justice minister. He opposed “unfair/unjust” government bills including the land bill and the cultural leaders bill.

* In April 2007, as well as friend and Aruu County MP Odonga Otto, Lukwago was arrested, according to police, for planning an illegal demonstration at the Constitutional Square to protest the actions of Kiboko squad – a bush-like militia of some kind with unconfirmed links to the ruling NRM government.

* In the company of Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, Lukwago opposed, as illegal, the elected of Norbert Mao as DP president in February 2010 at the Mbale delegates’ conference.

Some senior DP figures like Issa Kikungwe of Kyaddondo South continue to look for ways of ending Lukwago’s bitterness. Kikungwe describes him as “a valuable party member who must never be left behind”.

* Elected Mayor of the Kampala city on 14th March 2011.

Mr Putin is yet to declare his intentions ahead of the 2012 election. But Mr Gorbachev said in an interview with the weekly Argumenty i Fakty that he likes the idea of both Putin and current president Dmitry Medvedev ruling “tandem”.

“But both of them must understand: their time is limited,” he said.

His comments came as he was awarded Russia’s highest honour, with Mr Medvedev presenting him the award of the Order of St Andrew medal.

After eight years as Russian president, Mr Putin steered Mr Medvedev into the Kremlin in 2008, when the consitition barred him from seeking a third straight term. He is technically subordinate to Mr Medvedev, but is widely seen as Russia’s paramount leader.

If Mr Putin returns to the presidency after the March 2012 election, he could then run for another six-year term in 2018.

“People … do not want to be a mass, a flock led for decades by the same shepherds,” Mr Gorbachev said.

In just under an hour from now, the EC Chairman Dr Kiggundu will announce incumbent Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as the winner of the Friday’s elections having polled an overwhelming majority of 68.28% of the total vote with just over 10% of results yet to roll in; in second place is Kizza Besigye with just over 26.12% of the votes.

Mr Museveni has been Uganda’s president since 1986 when he, like the then government, disregarded the then constitution and illegally captured power after a 5 year protracted and bloody war.

Kiggundu will say that this has been by far the most peaceful, free and fair election since multi-party ‘democracy’ was reinstated just over half a decade ago. He is not expected to publicly apologise to the tens of thousands who were denied their right to vote due to his EC’s shambolic organisation of the process neither will he concede that rigging was widespread as most reports have indicated, neither will he comment on the allegations of widespread vote-buying by the ruling NRM party prior and on to polling day.

Meanwhile, the FDC leader and Museveni’s closest challenger in Friday’s polls, Dr Kizza Besigye has announce that he will not concede defeat, describing the elections as a “sham”.

Addressing the nation yesterday, Besigye – who was flanked by wife Winnie Byanyima – said that the elections were not free or fair. He caused it known to Ugandan that:

“the will of the people can’t be freely expressed in this corrupt environment”

He said that for as long as Museveni remains in power they (Ugandans) can as well forget a free and fair election.

The retired soldier was at pains to inform Ugandans that the opposition have explored all avenues through which they could be able to provide an alternative government but unfortunately these avenues were all found systemically flawed.

Below are the things, in summary, that we now know – or do not know – following his press conference:

• Besigye has at least 10 grounds to reject the vote. That Ugandans have the final word: not sham elections or partial courts.
• He waved what he claims are pre-ticked ballot papers in favour of Museveni.
• Some IPC/FDC agents were denied copies of declaration forms, others arrested when they asked for clarification before they could sign declaration forms; election officials were heavily bribed.
• IPC electronic tally centre failed so they [EC] are now doing it manually while surrounded by army and police trying to intimidate the electorate.
• IPC/FDC results aggregation system blocked.
• Mr Museveni would be declared winner with 67.2 per cent, Besigye alleges.

Dr Besigye wondered why voting in Kampala started very late while in NRM strongholds of Nakaseke, Nakasongora, Kyankwanzi and other remote districts, voting started on time at 7a.m.

“We should all ask why voting started badly, with late opening of polling stations in opposition strong holds, due to late delivery of materials. This even happened in Kampala where the EC sits.

Dr Kizza Besigye at a pressconference

Besigye said that they [opposition] have participated in all elections organised by the Museveni government but these elections have been far from free and fair; they have twice been to court that found election rigging had taken place but the same courts could not declare elections as null and void due to government peddling.

He urged the people of Uganda themselves that they must take action to end the dictatorship in my country for as long as they leave.

Dr Kizza Besigye also appealed to the international community not to turn there back on this beautiful country.

“So, I ask how the outcome of such an election can be a credible reflection of the will of the people of Uganda. The Intimidation and malpractices are similar to those we saw in 2006 but in many ways on a much greater scale than before,” said Besigye.

Moments after Besigye’s press conference, the Commonwealth election observers also held their press conference at which they gave a preamble of a report to be submitted to stakeholders.

Pointing out that it was too early to conclude that the election was free and fair, the observers raised deep concerns about Friday’s election process.

Concerns include: widespread delivery of materials at polling stations, vast distribution of money to buy votes/commercialization of elections, a blemish voters register that needs serious cleaning, the neglect of voter cards and most importantly the heavy deployment of security forces that may have intimidated some sections of the electorate and indeed influenced voter decision.

Veteran politician and ICT Minister, Aggrey Awori.

Ministers Aggrey Awori, Namirembe Bitamazire,  Isaac Musumba, Gabriel Opio, Beatrice Wabudeya, Gagawala Wambuzi and  Omara Atubo also found themselves out of parliament as they finally paid the price for the political sleaze that has debilitated this country.

Alintuma Nsambu was probably the highest profile scalp claimed by Buganda’s disgruntled voters as he crashed to an embarrassing defeat in his home constituency of Bukoto East.

Outside Buganda, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Kirunda Kivejinja was probably the highest profile government minister decapitated by the opposition FDC in Bugweri.

Mr Nsambu’s belittling of the Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi and the Mengo establishment, particularly during the ‘Kayunga riots’ leading to the closure of CBS. Now voters have exacted revenge.

As well as his ignominy,  Nsambu’s condescending campaigning style – itself a liability – handed DP’s Florence Namayanja 15,196 votes, one of the biggest wins of the evening. Minister Alintuma Nsambu polled 12,927 votes.

Nsambu refused to talk to waiting journalists outside his home after the count, appearing visibly upset and fighting tears as he departed with his team that included among others ICT ministry mandarins, leaving in a waiting car.

Meanwhile, Nsambu’s senior, Minister of ICT Aggrey Awori lost in Samia-Bugweri.

In Busoga region, as well as Kirunda Kivenjinja, five ministers have been ousted off their parliamentary seats. They include; Nelson Gaggawala (trade), Isaac Musumba (regional cooperation), Aggrey Bagiire (Agriculture), and Fred Mukisa (fisheries).

Ugandans came in troves to cast their votes but the EC's poor organisation denied many their right to vote.

In Budadiri West, the NRM Minister of the Presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya felt FDC’s Nandala Mafabi’s remarkable feats of strength after hours of anxiety and tension. Mafabi retained his seat with 23,702 votes against Wabudeya got 9336 votes.

The State minister Tourism for Tourism and NRM flag bearer Mr Sarapio Rukundo has lost the Kabale Municipality seat to Mr Andrew Baryayanga, an independent candidate. Final results declared by the returning officer Kabale district, Iddi Kahwa, this morning showed that Baryayanga got 7868 votes while Rukundo got 5222 votes. In third position was Forum for Democratic Change candidate Wilfred Murumba with 3732 votes and Uganda Federal Alliance’s Francis Ahimbisibwe 061 votes.

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Daniel Olara Otubo lost his Otuke County, Lira district seat.

State Minister for Regional Foreign affairs, Isaac Isanga Musumba lost his Buzaaya County, Kamuli district. Others ministers ousted include Gabriel Opio, Minister of Gender, State Minister for Trade and Antiquities Gagawala Wambuzi and Hope Mwesigye the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries who was outfoxed out of Kabale District Women’s Constituency seat.

Perhaps most surprisingly, speaker Ssekandi was re-elected as an MP in Bukoto Central after sidestep the Cultural leader’s bill backlash. Earlier reports had indicated that young Jude Mbabali had won the seat. The DP man now threatens to go to court, citing widespread malpractices including voter buying using Museveni’s million.

Another to breath a sigh of relief is Vice President Gilbert Bukenya, who held his seat in Busiro North today, beating off a challenge from the opposition. Mr Bukenya has faced criticism after claims that he mishandled CHOGM money, although he was quick to defend himself before parliament that he was only acting on president Museveni’s orders.

Perhaps the highest profile ‘non-sleaze’ scalp was Leader of the opposition in the house Mr Ogenga Latigo, losing his Agago County – Pader District seat.