The United State has issued a press statement saying it is concerned about the forthcoming elections as the electoral environment is deteriorating.

The statement signed by John Kirby, the Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs at the State Department list numerous use of excessive force by police, intimidation and arrest of journalist as some of the issues that have led to deteriorating environment.

“The United States is concerned that the electoral environment in Uganda is deteriorating in the run-up to national polls next month.  Numerous reports of the police using excessive force, obstruction and dispersal of opposition rallies, and intimidation and arrest of journalists have contributed to an electoral climate of fear and intimidation, and raise questions about the fairness of the process.”

According Jotham Talemwa, the Spokesperson of the Independent Electoral Commission of Uganda, there shouldn’t be worry because everything is moving on well.

“Nobody should lose sleep as we are working with all candidates and in fact the allegations are untrue because we allocate similar resources across board. All candidates have security and they are allocated same time and where there are complaints we have addressed them”

Mr Kirby in the statement further appealed to the presidential candidates in the race to desist from inflammatory rhetoric’s as it could incite violence. Last year supporters of Independent candidate Amama Mbabazi and those of President Museveni fought in the Ntungamo district an incident that left the country in fear that the campaigns could easily turn chaotic as we head to the polls on Feb 18, 2016. Another similar incident did occur in Gulu when supporters of Deputy Speaker Jocab Oulanyah who is vying for his Omoro County took the venue that had been reserved for Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye and when the two camps came together, violence broke out which left journalists beaten and cameras destroyed.

“We also underscore the need for all candidates and their campaigns to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric that could incite violence” adding   “We note with particular concern the reports that Christopher Aine, an opposition campaign aide, has disappeared”

The statement dated January 15, further says free and fair elections depend on all Ugandans being able to exercise their right to assemble peacefully, express their opinions, and participate in the electoral process free from intimidation and abuse. They also depend on government institutions and security forces remaining neutral, defending the rights of all people and protecting all parties equally.  “We call on the government, civil society, and political parties to do their part to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible electoral process.”

When contacted for a comment on the statement, Police publicist, Fred Enanga said the matters in the statement are not worrying at as police is mandated to provide security. Enanga said the complaints of intimidation and using excessive force, obstruction and dispersal of opposition rallies are false.

“Out of the 7000 candidates, we have had issues with only eight candidates who didn’t follow the EC guidelines especially on the issue of time but there has a media propaganda trying to depict police as a partisan force” Enanga said.

Adding “They should get the real picture on ground instead of relying on propaganda”

Enanga said that apart from incidents of some presidential candidates wanting to visit public institutions like hospitals and schools where, they clashed with police, there hasn’t been any problem with campaigns.

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• Those worried about crime preventers want to commit crime

President Yoweri Museveni has assured the European Union election monitoring team in Uganda that the upcoming national elections will be free, fair and will be conducted without any form of violence.

The President met the European Union election monitoring team led by their team leader and chief observer Mr. Eduard Kukan who called on him at his country home in Rwakitura in Kiruhuura district. The delegation was accompanied by the European Union head of delegation in Uganda Mr. Kristian Schmidt.

President Museveni who took the delegation through the history of elections in Uganda right from the independence time told the delegation that the National Resistance Movement has done a lot to ensure that the electoral process in Uganda is free, fair and transparent right from the first election held under the NRM to elect the constituency assembly delegates in 1993.

He said that unlike in the past elections, new measures to ensure that elections are free and fair were introduced, such as using of a single ballot box for all candidates, counting, tallying and announcing of votes at the polling station on the same day and having agents of all candidates countersign on the results declaration forms before ballots are taken.

The President stressed that the electoral measures implemented, the country’s electoral process has greatly improved but admitted that there remain a few challenges.

He for example, noted that in some areas the electoral process depends on the vigilance of the electorate and noted where the citizens are not vigilant criminals engage in multiple voting, while others vote when they are not on the register and also engage in many other electoral offences.

The other challenge the President admitted was the struggle to computerize the voters register so as not to depend on human beings who may sometimes be part of the rigging process.

He said that although the government is making some stride to computerize the register for easy identification of voter and the transmission of results, there are reports of some groups of criminals working underground to interfere with the computerized process to disrupt the election but noted that they have already been detected and reported and the police is investigating the matter.

He assured the European Union observer team that there can’t be any violence during the election or post election process in Uganda because the elections will be held in a convincingly free and fair environment that does not warrant violence but stressed that if any one attempts to perpetuate violence, the state of Uganda is strong enough and well equipped to handle such a situation.

On the role of crime preventers in the country, the President said that the crime preventers are a group of citizen volunteers that contribute to community policing.

“They are not armed and they are just in their communities like a reserve and I think whoever is worried about them wants to commit crimes against Ugandans” he said.

The President assured the European Union delegation that Uganda was set to transform into a middle income country in the coming decade and will be a first world country in 30 years if not interrupted.

The President, the head of the European delegation in Uganda and the European Union election observer team also discussed the political situation in Burundi and efforts to bring about lasting peace in the East African country.

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President Yoweri Museveni who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement has urged Movement leaders at all levels and supporters to always work for the unity of the people of Uganda noting that one of the major problems in Africa has been the failure by African leaders to unite the African people so as to work for the common good of the continent.

“The Movement must focus on the future of our prosperity as a nation and make it a sin to even whisper any form of sectarianism because what is important is not identity but our common interests” he said.

The NRM chairman made the appeal last evening while meeting the National Resistance Movement Women’s League at his country home in Rwakitura, Nyabushozi county in Kiruhuura district.

Museveni who was flanked by the First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs Janet Museveni said that the African leaders, even before colonialism, failed to unite the Africans and were constantly at war instead of uniting the people to work for the common cause of the continent. He said that became worse with coming of colonialist who divided Africans even more and colonized them.

He expressed disappointment however, that even the post independence leaders did not do much to unite Africans and instead in most cases divided them on tribal and religious basis making the continent more polarized.

The NRM Chairman urged the NRM Women’s League leaders led by their National Chairperson Mrs. Lydia Wanyoto Mutende to work for national unity and shun anybody who promotes sectarianism of any kind.

“ You as Movement Women leaders should not tolerate any one who promotes sectarianism and attempt to disunite Ugandans, not even whispering a sectarian word should be tolerated. Just tell them off that you are evil, shortsighted, satanic and against the interests of Uganda” he said.

Museveni urged the Movement Women’s League to take the message of poverty eradication to the masses noting that poverty in the country is the major challenge the country is faced with.

The President noted that if all Ugandans were involved in production especially in commercial agriculture, the population would raise their earnings and get rid of poverty. He said that as the population gets out of poverty the other problems such as unemployment would also be overcome.

He further said that the Movement will devote a lot of energies on skilling Ugandans noting that the major cause of unemployment in the country is having an elite population that lacks practical skills to produce goods and services.

In her remarks, Mrs. Museveni commended the NRM Women’s League for being true mothers of Uganda and leading the campaign of the NRM, which is centered, on national unity, peace and prosperity.

“NRM is the only party that stands for unity and peace and it has worked hard for peace which has made Uganda the island of peace in the region. And am happy that the mothers of Uganda have stood up and are firm to safe guard this peace,” she said.

Mrs. Lydia Wanyoto Mutende on behalf of the women’s league commended the President and the NRM government for emancipating women of Uganda and said that it was the reason the women of Uganda greatly support the Movement.

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Hundreds of radio stations and about a dozen TV stations, both local and foreign, will this evening camp at the Serena Hotel in Kampala to air and broadcast the first-ever presidential debate in Uganda.

According to media reports 200 radio stations and 11 TV stations will cover the much-awaited debate, expected to feature seven of the eight candidates vying for Uganda’s top seat, come February 18, this year.

Those expected to participate in the debate that is being organised by the Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRC-U) in conjunction with the Elders Forum include the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Dr Warren Kizza Besigye, Go Forward candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate Dr Abed Bwanika and the Farmers Party candidate Maj Gen (rtd) Benon Biraro Buta. Others are Independent candidates Prof Venansius Baryamureeba, Pastor Joseph Mabirizi and Faith Maureen Walube Kyalya.

By press time it was not clear whether the other candidate, Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), would attend but his party had intimated that he had a busy campaign schedule.

Recently, one of the organisers, Elders Forum representative retired Justice James Ogoola Munange said the debate would take place irrespective of the number of candidates participating.

“We are on for Friday; we are like a plane, we will take off with whatever passengers on board,” Justice Ogoola was quoted as saying.

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