Jeema’s Mayanja petitions UN over 2011 polls

Jul 05, 2009

Justice Forum (JEEMA) leader Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja has written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, appealing to the organisation to supervise the 2011 general elections.

By Milton Olupot

Justice Forum (JEEMA) leader Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja has written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, appealing to the organisation to supervise the 2011 general elections.

In the July 3 letter Kibirige also asked the world body to get involved in making appropriate electoral laws and the appointment of the Electoral Commission.

The letter copied to the Head of the European Union Delegation to Uganda, US president Barak Obama, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the East African leaders, accused President Yoweri Museveni of plotting to be a life President.

“We appeal to you to use your offices to prevail upon the NRM government to reinstate the presidential term limit as a means of restoring people’s confidence in democracy,” the letter read.

“In order to prevent a catastrophe in Uganda, the UN should assume a direct role in the next elections to enforce the minimum democratic benchmark as defined by the Inter Parliamentary Union.”

Kibirige also implored the UN chief to pressure Museveni to implement the electoral law reforms drawn by the opposition political parties in a petition which was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, on May 14.

The Inter-Party Cooperation, a coalition of FDC, CP, UPC and JEEMA, proposed the restoration of presidential term limits, disbanding of the EC and prohibition of the involvement of the army and other security agencies in elections.

They called for new rules to ensure accountability and transparency in casting, counting and tallying votes and announcing results.

They further proposed that people convicted of electoral offences should not be nominated for the by-election.

Museveni opposed the reforms, saying the laws had already been reformed and what remained was the computerisation of the voters register.

The NRM party spokesperson Ofwono Opondo dismissed Kibirige’s appeal, saying: “The UN does not directly enforce the laws in Uganda. Kibirige should complain to Ugandans and not Ban Ki-Moon.”

He said Museveni had not rejected the reforms, adding that they were given to Parliament and it was upon the legislators to take them up.

Ofwono stated that Ki-Moon had a lot of crises to sort out, such as those in Somalia, DR Congo and Sudan.

“Democratically, we are not badly off,” he said.

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