Probe armed men in yellow T-shirts
It is quite remarkable that the on-going presidential and parliamentary elections campaigns have so far been much more peaceful than expected.
It is quite remarkable that the on-going presidential and parliamentary elections campaigns have so far been much more peaceful than expected. True, there have been complaints particularly from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that their supporters have been subjected to intimidation. The NRM presidential candidate, President Museveni, has complained that his supporters in areas such as Teso are being intimidated by the opposition. On the other hand, the FDC candidate Col. Dr Kizza Besigye has repeatedly complained that his supporters in some parts of the country have been intimidated by the state functionaries.
Furthermore, some FDC parliamentary candidates, notably, Abdu Katuntu, Beti Kamya and Augustine Ruzindana have alleged that state security operatives or soldiers have been harassing their supporters. There have also been reports that in parts of the north, some security operatives are engaged in campaigning for candidates. But these complaints have so far been not confirmed.
Until last week when fighting broke out between the FDC and NRM supporters in Bugweri, the campaigns had been impressive in comparison to the 1996 and 2001 elections. In the 1996 elections, President Museveni’s rivals Paul Ssemogerere and Kibirige Mayanja were literally blocked by Movement supporters and functionaries from campaigning in western Uganda. In Rukungiri and Bundibugyo, Ssemogerere’s entourage was physically attacked. Surprisingly one of the people who allegedly participated in the attack on Ssemogerere in Rukungiri town has since defected from the NRM and is an FDC parliamentary candidate. How surprising?
In the on-going campaigns, there have not been reports that any presidential candidate has been subjected to harassment while campaigning in any part of the country. Col. Besigye, Miria Obote, Dr Abed Bwanika and Ssebaana Kizito have campaigned in various parts of the country, but have not experienced what Ssemogerere and Mayanja Kibirige went through in 1996. This is indeed a remarkable development. I think government is anxious to see the elections are as smooth as possible to ensure that the results are credible. In view of the uproar that followed the arrest of Col Besigye and questions that were raised by donors about the ‘third term’ constitutional amendment, it is only prudent for government to ensure that the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections are smooth and peaceful.
In view of this, the emerging political violence which has been witnessed in areas like Bugweri, Katwe in Kampala, Masaka and Soroti must be tackled decisively and in a politically transparently manner by government.
In the Bugweri incident, some of the people wearing yellow NRM T-shirts who were involved in the clash had guns. On the Katwe-Kibuye incident, the local press carried a photograph of a security officer in a yellow T-shirt, who was among NRM supporters, holding a gun that he used to disperse FDC fans. Does this suggest that some NRM supporters are armed? Were these state security operatives? If indeed they were NRM supporters, why were they armed with guns and who armed them? If they were state security operatives, why were they wearing party T-shirts? These are very pertinent questions.
It is important that the electoral offences squad investigates these people who were wearing yellow NRM T-shirts when they were also armed with guns. Security personnel are prohibited, under their code of conduct, from engaging in partisan political activities.
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Furthermore, some FDC parliamentary candidates, notably, Abdu Katuntu, Beti Kamya and Augustine Ruzindana have alleged that state security operatives or soldiers have been harassing their supporters. There have also been reports that in parts of the north, some security operatives are engaged in campaigning for candidates. But these complaints have so far been not confirmed.
Until last week when fighting broke out between the FDC and NRM supporters in Bugweri, the campaigns had been impressive in comparison to the 1996 and 2001 elections. In the 1996 elections, President Museveni’s rivals Paul Ssemogerere and Kibirige Mayanja were literally blocked by Movement supporters and functionaries from campaigning in western Uganda. In Rukungiri and Bundibugyo, Ssemogerere’s entourage was physically attacked. Surprisingly one of the people who allegedly participated in the attack on Ssemogerere in Rukungiri town has since defected from the NRM and is an FDC parliamentary candidate. How surprising?
In the on-going campaigns, there have not been reports that any presidential candidate has been subjected to harassment while campaigning in any part of the country. Col. Besigye, Miria Obote, Dr Abed Bwanika and Ssebaana Kizito have campaigned in various parts of the country, but have not experienced what Ssemogerere and Mayanja Kibirige went through in 1996. This is indeed a remarkable development. I think government is anxious to see the elections are as smooth as possible to ensure that the results are credible. In view of the uproar that followed the arrest of Col Besigye and questions that were raised by donors about the ‘third term’ constitutional amendment, it is only prudent for government to ensure that the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections are smooth and peaceful.
In view of this, the emerging political violence which has been witnessed in areas like Bugweri, Katwe in Kampala, Masaka and Soroti must be tackled decisively and in a politically transparently manner by government.
In the Bugweri incident, some of the people wearing yellow NRM T-shirts who were involved in the clash had guns. On the Katwe-Kibuye incident, the local press carried a photograph of a security officer in a yellow T-shirt, who was among NRM supporters, holding a gun that he used to disperse FDC fans. Does this suggest that some NRM supporters are armed? Were these state security operatives? If indeed they were NRM supporters, why were they armed with guns and who armed them? If they were state security operatives, why were they wearing party T-shirts? These are very pertinent questions.
It is important that the electoral offences squad investigates these people who were wearing yellow NRM T-shirts when they were also armed with guns. Security personnel are prohibited, under their code of conduct, from engaging in partisan political activities.
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