Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has with immediate effect withdrawn from the ongoing Bukedea by-election terming it ‘democratic fraud and sham’.
“The events that are taking place on this June 14, voting day in Bukedea district LC5 by-election have left us deeply troubled. We consider this to be yet another case of electoral fraud witnessed in Uganda under the NRM not different from earlier ones only that the scale in this case is unprecedented in the history of elections in our country,” Patrick Oboi Amuriat, FDC President said.
He added, “Upon arrival of our agents at the polling stations at 6:00 am, we were disheartened to discover that the ballot boxes had already been tampered with. Shockingly, all the ballots had been pre-ticked, and the ballot boxes were already filled to the brim in most polling stations.”
He noted that this fraud continued in all the remaining polling stations mainly aided by the police and army.
“Our intelligence sources point to the fact that the majority of these fraudulent ballot boxes were pre-ticked from several schools around Bukedea and the Central Police Station on the night of June 13, 2023,” Amuriat revealed.
The party unequivocally condemns the use of the police and military in propagating these malpractices and the intimidation, torture and imprisonment of members of the media in their line of duty while covering this election.
“This by-election can only be characterized as yet another sham, devoid of transparency and legitimacy. We firmly refuse to participate in a process that lacks integrity and does not represent the will of the people of Bukedea,” he said. Adding, “Therefore, through this communication, we declare our official withdrawal from this sham ‘election.’ We have instructed all our polling agents, polling supervisors, and foot soldiers to withdraw immediately. We will not lend credibility or legitimacy to a process that is tainted by fraudulent practices.”
Amuriat said that FDC will now focus on determining the appropriate course of action in response to this gross violation of democratic principles and liberties of Ugandan and remain committed to upholding the rights of the Ugandan people and fighting for a fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral system.
“We call upon all Ugandans who value democracy to stand with us in denouncing this fraudulent by-election and demanding accountability for those responsible. The future of our country depends on our collective commitment to justice, democratic values and civil liberties,” he urged.
