Unresolved apathy and chronic skepticism on integrity of Ugandan elections

ELECTION INTEGRITY

A couple of days ago, both the Daily Monitor and the Observer wrote moving editorials highlighting the paradoxes shrouding the integrity of the 2016 elections. In both editorials, the papers questioned the intended silence of the Electoral Commission at the time when all the three leading contenders for the Presidential race are pointing fingers at each other for planning to rig elections.

The history of elections in Uganda is fraught with allegations of vote rigging, and instances where election fraud and all sorts of malpractices have been profound. And yet, somehow, the EC, whose primacy is to provide a legitimate and credible elections seems unfazed by these staggering concerns.

This silence, either by omission or commission, has compounded on the unresolved apathy or escalated the chronic skepticism that electorates have developed towards elections in Uganda.

That aside, since 2001, the Opposition candidates have complained that rigging of elections have been done to the benefit of the incumbent. At various stages, both independent Presidential candidates, Hon. Amama Mbabazi and Prof Venasius Baryamureeba have attested that vote rigging takes place in computers in Kampala. In fact, Gen David Sejusa, who himself was part of the vote rigging system attested while in London that a coterie of intelligence operatives alter vote results in computers from a designated operation rooms at Basiima House, in Kampala.

While in Mbale, Hon. Amama Mbabazi assured his mammoth audience that they should not be worried much about election rigging in Kampala. He directed them to ensure that they cast their ballots and protect the votes to ensure that they were correctly counted and transmitted. Mr. Mbabazi is on record, assuring his audience that they should let him, Hon Mbabazi, take care of what transpires in the computers in Kampala. Anyone can review these utterances on YouTube for confirmation.

This, precisely, is the reason that the country and those who watched the first televised Presidential Campaigns, where utterly shocked at the contradiction of Mr. Mbabazi in denying any knowledge or practices of vote rigging. When the FDC flag bearer, and Presidential Candidate, Col (Rtd). Dr. Kiiza Besigye posed the question whether Mr. Mbabazi was aware of vote rigging and what he thought about it, to our consternation, Mr. Mbabazi flatly denied any knowledge of such practices!

This incidence is of utmost importance for those who are running around the country preaching that Hon. Mbabazi is a reliable person whereas he is not. For me, he failed my test by contradicting himself on such an obvious and yet also a very crucial determinant of the credibility of NRM organized elections.

Mr. Mbabazi has been aloof on many fronts and he finds no remorse in acting innocent. Take for instance when he was confronted by the lived reality of two ordinary Ugandan families in Bwiita-Nakabale Village in Namutamba District. All that Mr. Mbabazi could ask was “Is this how people live?” (Observer, Jan 20, 2016).

It is such traits of dishonesty which worries me that when entrusted with power, Mr. Mbabazi will continue with the same duplicitousness, characteristic of the NRM. They have lied to themselves and to the nation so much that they act shocked when confronted with reality. I only wish that President Museveni could get off his high horse to be confronted by the sorry state of the common man in villages and rural communities as it was with Mr. Mbabazi.

So, when a section of the elite population accuse Dr Besigye of not being able to effectively protect his votes so as to transform the mass support he enjoys in the country side into victory, the answer is obvious. Dealing with mindlessly dishonest operators of the State is a complex affairs. However, vote rigging and the integrity of elections in this country have become even a complex phenomenon that Dr. Besigye alone cannot solve. The defiance noncompliance campaign is asking all of you to come out in large numbers to do your part.

It is your part which is lacking!

END