The European Union Election Observer Mission Uganda has asked the Electoral Commission to publish without delay the detailed results from each polling station for the presidential and parliamentary elections online, including scanned copies of the Declaration of Result forms.

According to the EU observers, this will enable voters and the candidates to comprehensively evaluate the results.

Mr. Eduard Kukan, the EOM chief observer said that the Electoral Commission’s accountability is very important in the post electoral environment. He added that steps such as the publication of inclusive information on election results constitute international best practice in the conduct of democratic elections.

‘Pro-active publication of information of public interest is enshrined in international standards to which Uganda has committed itself with the aim of respecting citizens fundamental freedoms and rights,’ Mr kukan wrote in a statement.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Yoweri Museveni was declared president-elect by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in a highly criticized election that was allegedly marred by vote rigging, voter bribery and the intimidation of opposition supporters and leaders.

Efforts to get a comment from the IEC spokesperson Jotham Taremwa were futile by press time.

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Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Secretary General has said that security agents are looking for his party’s agents to forcefully sign fake declaration forms.

Writing on his Facebook page Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP-elect said that security agents and NRM functionaries are looking for party agents and FDC leaders across the rural areas of Western, Eastern and Northern Uganda to sign falsified Candidates’ Declaration Result Forms.

‘They are being put on gun point to sign them with either an exchange for money or get arrested for those who refuse. We want to bring this out to the people of Uganda, our neighbors and the international community that we have a very good case against the regime’, wrote Nandala Mafabi, in reference to the forms that are instrumental in determining the winner of the just-concluded presidential elections, won by Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.

A strong Museveni critic, Nandala Mafabi, a tough talking politician from Sironko said that security and NRM functionaries are scared and uncomfortable in the middle of a ‘stolen’ election.

“We can only reject these threats to retain our victory and freedom. And the time is now, not again five more years of a stolen election,” he stressed.

Nandala Mafabi said ‘FDC as party is not willing to sit back and watch on more five years of injustice and illegal occupation’.

Contacted for comment the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Jotham Taremwa said he had not heard about the claims, but referred the EagleOnline to either the police or army spokespersons.

However, by press time both were unavailable for comment.

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Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) former presidential candidate Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye has been arrested again by the security agencies, and taken to an unknown place, a senior party official has said.

Harold Kaija, the party’s Deputy Secretary General in charge of Administration, said Dr Besigye was arrested and driven towards Matugga along Bombo Road, after which they lost track of him and his alleged captors.

‘Our President Dr Kizza has been kidnapped. We followed the van heading to Matugga on Bombo Road and we lost them’, Mr Kaija posted on his Facebook wall.

But contacted for comment, police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said that Dr Besigye was at home, safe.

“This guy is just at home and importantly, the police does not kidnap people; whatever we are doing is provided for by the law,” Mr Enanga said by phone today.

He said that the opposition, particularly the FDC had resorted to a smear campaign against the police and cited the recent claim by the party president that the force had carried away their office equipment including ‘tally sheets’ that were supposed to be used (for the election petition purposes).

“That is their (FDC) propaganda against the police; they keep using excuses to shield their weaknesses,” Mr Enanga said in reference to Mr Kaija’s kidnap claims of Dr Besigye by police, and added: “That is loose talk to gain sympathies; let them file a complaint.”

Dr Besigye, a candidate in the just-concluded presidential elections, is contesting the results and has since run into trouble with the police, which have arrested him every day since the results were announced on Saturday, February 20.

On Election Day, February 18, Dr Besigye was arrested in Naguru, where he had reportedly gone to deter an alleged rigging at a police facility.

Meanwhile, the police contend that the continued arrest of Besigye is to deter him from causing violence in the city which would otherwise lead to loss of property and lives.

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A group of activists from Human Rights Watch were yesterday blocked by Uganda Police from accessing the home of opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye in Kasangati, a Kampala suburb.

“Dr Besigye invited us in our role as human rights defenders to meet with him today and talk about human rights concern, something we do regularly with the government of Uganda and other political actors,” reads a statement jointly signed by Kabumba Busingye of Human Rights and Peace Centre Makerere School of Law, Maria Burnett of Human Rights Watch and Anthony Masake of Chapter Four Uganda.

“Police denied us access to Dr.Besigye’s home claiming we were not on his program for today despite an explicit invitation and the presence of his staff to receive us,” the statement further reads.

Dr Besigye has been at his home under police surveillance since Monday 22, and his lawyers, journalists and other acquaintances were also on Monday blocked from accessing the four time presidential challenger of Incumbent Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

However, the activists say they remain concerned that ‘Dr Besigye’s legal status as a prisoner in his home has no basis in Ugandan law, constitutes arbitrary detention and violates basic human rights to free expression and association’.

They maintain that even though police promised them that they can have access another day, they dispute that police has a basis on which to assert that authority to control guests to a private residence.

Recently recalled Kampala Metropolitan Commander, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi, said police will limit visitors to Dr Besigye’s home basing on the intelligence they have gathered.

“We shall allow public access to him in a regulatory manner; we don’t want to shift his work place from Kampala to  Kasangati as everyones access to him may help him in his plans, ” AIGP Kaweesi said.

Police spokesperson Mr Fred Enanga, however, says that the Constitution gives police power to detain an individual if he threatens public safety.

And, according to Mr Enanga, Besigye plans to create havoc in the city.

Dr Besigye’s daily detentions started on Monday as he planned to walk with his supporters to the Electoral Commission offices in the capital Kampala to demand declaration forms of the presidential elections.

Dr Besigye has rejected the results of the widely criticised election in which he lost to incumbent Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who obtained 60.8% against Besigyes 35.4%.

Besigye has been arrested over 5 times in a space of 8 days and every time he tries to leave his house, he is arrested and taken to Nagalama Police Station and detained the whole day and later dropped off to his house in Kasangati at around 10:00pm.

According to the Uganda Constitution, Besigye has 10 days to petition High Court over the presidential elections results from the day the winner is announced. Of these ten days, he has been in police detention for three days.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party officials and his lawyers say that the continued detention of their flag bearer is a move to frustrate any efforts to file a petition.

“He has only eight days now but he cannot meet his lawyers, he cannot meet his campaign managers and he cannot even meet with party officials, so how can he collect evidence within the remaining days,” Mr Peter Walubiri, one of Besigyes lawyers, was quoted as saying by local media.

Dr Besigye persistent arrests have attracted the attention of international organisations and governments, with the United States and the United Nations raising concern over the matter.

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Three time presidential contender and president of the Peoples Development Party (PDP) has conceded defeat in the recently concluded presidential elections held on February 18.

Mr Bwanika came fourth in a race contested for by 8 candidates and polled a total of 89,005 votes, representing 0.90% of the total number of votes cast in an election in which the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) declared National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Yoweri Museveni winner with over 60 per cent of the vote.

The other two candidates Bwanika becomes the fifth candidate to concede defeat after Maj Gen Benon Biraaro, Joseph Mabirizi, Faith Maureen Kyalya Walube and Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye and John Patrick Amama Mbabazi of Go Forward have since disputed the results.

“For the sake of our people and unity of our nation, I offer my concession. I have had lots of opportunities and blessing in my life and all I wanted was the same for all Ugandans. Until that day comes, you shall find me at the forefront of democracy fighting for all Ugandans,” reads part of the statement Mr Bwanika released on his website.

“Salutations to the people of Uganda for the extraordinary energy you displayed during the national Elections as evidenced by your high turnout both at the campaign rallies and the polling day, special thanks go to those gallant Ugandans who put confidence in candidate Dr.Abed Bwanika and accorded him a vote, you are foresighted and your vote is a seed into the desired future,” the statement adds.

In the same statement, Mr Bwanika criticized the Independent Electoral Commission for performing ‘below average and very poorly in some areas’.

He cited irregularities like the reported delayed delivery of electoral materials to several polling stations; omission of polling results from thousands of polling stations in the final tally; announcement of results by the electoral commission that are different from the ones at polling stations, the seizer of pre ticked ballot papers in several areas of the country and the declaration of losers as winners especially for the Members of Parliament.

Mr Bwanika suggested remedies by asking the ‘aggrieved Ugandans to seek redress from the Supreme Court, put pressure on the establishment and demand respect in regard to their rights and vote expression and seeking a Government of National Unity fostered by the elders’ council and credible religious leaders’.

This, according to Mr Bwanika, ‘will avert the impending chaos and destruction that may result out of the prevailing anger’.

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Police has said its continued presence at the home of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) four time presidential candidate Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, is to avert chaos.

Addressing journalists at police headquarters in Naguru, the Head of Interpol Asan Kasingye, who read a statement on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) General Kale Kayihura, said the circumstances surrounding the continued close monitoring of the movements and activities of Besigye by the Police since Monday, February 15 to date lie squarely on the FDC flag bearer and his ‘indisciplined’ supporters.

In the lengthy statement detailing Dr Besigye’s ‘transgressions’ among them, storming a ‘security facility’ in Naguru; defying police orders regarding processions in the city centre; trying to announce election results, Kayihura also described as biased and unfair, criticism of the police.

“There is continued campaign of distorted information, speculations, biased and unfounded as well as unfair criticism of Police actions, as well as outright lies regarding the handling of Kizza Besigye by the Uganda Police,” the IGP said.

He added: “Indeed, contrary to propaganda in the media, in all our actions, police have acted lawfully, professionally, conducted ourselves with utmost restraint in the face of incredible provocation.”

He cited a case of the violent assault by two foreign journalists on the DPC, Kasangati, who, he said, in spite of the attacks, kept cool and calm demeanor, ‘and by his conduct actually disproved the unacceptable insults they were hurling at him’. The police boss added that police is reviewing the video footage of that incident, after which appropriate action will be taken.

The IGP also talked about an incident in Wandegeya where one of Dr Besigye’s supporters was killed, and also another one where the presidential candidate stormed a house in Naguru that was reportedly being used by police officers to tinker with the election results. According to police, the claims by Dr Kiiza Besigye were clearly meant to discredit the electoral process, cause confusion, and incite and enrage the public into violence which prompted police to escort Besigye to his house in Kasangati.

‘Besigye and a group of his supporters stormed and trespassed on security premises in Naguru, and under the supervision of Rtd Col Dr. Kiiza Besigye, a senior Police Officer was assaulted and tortured by mob action’.

“Clearly, therefore, the Police actions regarding Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye are justifiable both in law and in fact  We have a duty to protect the people and their property, and ensure there is law and order in this country,” said Kayihura.

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