EC assures Ugandans on credible elections

Jun 03, 2017

The Commission outlined its major challenges as continuous creation of administrative units and negative public perception among others

 

The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured Ugandans that it will do everything possible to redeem its image and win the confidence of Ugandans by organizing credible elections.

In a speech read by his deputy Hajjat Aisha Lubega, the Electoral Commission chairman Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi said, "The Commission will endeavour to ensure transparency, accountability and impartiality at each stage of the electoral process so that the stakeholders can have trust and confidence in the process and the results of elections," Byabakama promised.

His speech was read at a meeting organized by the Electoral Commission on Friday at Hotel Africana to sensitize its staff, security officers, civil society and political parties on its new drive to build public confidence.

The Commission outlined its major challenges as continuous creation of administrative units, late enactment of enabling laws by Parliament, negative public perception, commercialization of politics, and voter apathy.

Indicating that the Commission will continue to reach out for public views on what it needs to do to perform better, Byabakama appealed to the EC staff to positively accept criticism from the public.  

Several MPs and leaders of the main political parties who had been invited were absent

NRM, UPC, and FDC were not represented but the Democratic Party (DP) was represented by the acting secretary general Gerald Siranda and Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) was represented by Saddam Gayira.

Sarah Bireete, one of the directors from Center for Constitutional Governance, said, we gathered views under the compact and Ugandans want an Electoral Commission agreed upon by all stakeholders. When you look at this current EC team, most of them are from one political party. This is the biggest challenge they face because a big section of the population considers them partisan."

She implored government/executive and Parliament to expedite the implementation of the Supreme Court directive that arose from the Amama Mbabazi election petition which requires government to ensure that all the necessary electoral and constitutional reforms are enacted within the first two years of the current term of office.

"One year has already passed and considering that the legislative process like this requires wide consultation of citizens, it means the process ought to begin as soon as possible. If that is done, we shall have hope for free and fair elections," she explained.

"I appreciate the efforts of the new team to build public confidence. But nothing will change until we have a commission agreed upon by all of us. Justice Byabakama has dark spots on him arising from his role in the case against Besigye. It is believed he even coached witnesses who testified against Besigye" Siranda said.

Siranda said the solution lies in implementing the electoral reforms proposed in the citizens' manifesto and the IPOD proposals towards the last general elections.

"We are tired of dealing with symptoms instead of dealing with the real problem. That is why representatives from most political parties have shunned this meeting," Siranda stated.

"Although I came to this meeting, it was only for serving the purpose of future reference because I am sure an electoral commission appointed by President Museveni cannot deliver free and fair elections. We always give proposals for reforms but government never implements them. Credible elections will only happen when a sane government comes to power" Gayira said.

Gayira said even if those in charge of the commission are willing to conduct credible elections, the state institutions like Police and the army which "are fused with the ruling NRM party would not permit them to succeed in doing so."

Calling for electoral and constitutional reforms, both the European Union election observers and the Commonwealth observers of the 2016 general elections said they were below the minimum democratic benchmarks.

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