Police chief warns poll detractors
Feb 14, 2011
THE Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, has urged all Ugandans to protect the electoral process beginning on Friday against groups he called detractors interested in plunging the country into chaos.
By Milton Olupot
and Cecilia Okoth
THE Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, has urged all Ugandans to protect the electoral process beginning on Friday against groups he called detractors interested in plunging the country into chaos.
Kayihura was yesterday speaking during a dialogue the Uganda Human Rights Commission organised at Hotel Africana to discuss ways to promote peaceful, free and fair elections.
He said there were individual politicians who had trained about 18 different militia groups to be deployed at polling stations in the guise of guarding votes.
“They say they will deploy 19 people at every polling station to guard their votes. How will they be able to do this? Who are these people? If they are genuine, why don’t they work with security groups?†he asked.
Opposition parties have also accused the Government of recruiting militia groups in the name of crime preventors, whom they say government intends to use to rig the elections.
Kayihura has, however, consistently denied this, saying the issue had been blown out of proportion by politicians.
UHRC chairman Meddie Kaggwa cautioned the media against promoting hatred, discrimination and inciting violence.
“Information disseminated regarding elections should be honestly conveyed, accurate and fair,†he said.
Media consultant J.B. Wasswa cautioned security agencies against blocking media channels, saying this might escalate danger.
He also said the media should be careful when picking messages from the different social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, saying some of them can be misleading.
Kiggundu said the campaigns have so far been peaceful except for isolated cases.
He said transmission of results will be through electronic delivery and called on all people to abide by the law.
and Cecilia Okoth
THE Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, has urged all Ugandans to protect the electoral process beginning on Friday against groups he called detractors interested in plunging the country into chaos.
Kayihura was yesterday speaking during a dialogue the Uganda Human Rights Commission organised at Hotel Africana to discuss ways to promote peaceful, free and fair elections.
He said there were individual politicians who had trained about 18 different militia groups to be deployed at polling stations in the guise of guarding votes.
“They say they will deploy 19 people at every polling station to guard their votes. How will they be able to do this? Who are these people? If they are genuine, why don’t they work with security groups?†he asked.
Opposition parties have also accused the Government of recruiting militia groups in the name of crime preventors, whom they say government intends to use to rig the elections.
Kayihura has, however, consistently denied this, saying the issue had been blown out of proportion by politicians.
UHRC chairman Meddie Kaggwa cautioned the media against promoting hatred, discrimination and inciting violence.
“Information disseminated regarding elections should be honestly conveyed, accurate and fair,†he said.
Media consultant J.B. Wasswa cautioned security agencies against blocking media channels, saying this might escalate danger.
He also said the media should be careful when picking messages from the different social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, saying some of them can be misleading.
Kiggundu said the campaigns have so far been peaceful except for isolated cases.
He said transmission of results will be through electronic delivery and called on all people to abide by the law.