Kaihura slams Kikonyogo
Jan 12, 2003
Deputy Chief Justice Laeticia Kikonyogo has come under further attack from the military over her call to the UPDF to keep off the electoral process.
By Felix Osike
Deputy Chief Justice Laeticia Kikonyogo has come under further attack from the military over her call to the UPDF to keep off the electoral process.
President Yoweri Museveni’s military assistant Brig. Kale Kaihura on Saturday said the remarks were redundant, unfortunate, suspect and based on distortions.
Kaihura was presenting a paper on the role of the army in the electoral process at a workshop organised by the Electoral Commission at Speke Resort Munyonyo. Kikonyogo had proposed that the army be excluded and replaced with adequate security of the commission’s choice.
But Kaihura said, “Those who are calling for the army to keep off elections or to be removed from Kinkizi because there is going to be a bye-election, do not know what they are talking about or their aims are sinister. There is nobody who can claim more ownership of the democratic process than the UPDF.â€
Kaihura, who is also UPDF’s chief political commissar, while brandishing a copy of The New Vision which carried the story, said the UPDF had since 2001 come under severe attack, the latest being from Kikonyogo, over alleged interference in elections.
Police chief Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala told the workshop on Friday that it was lawful to use the army during elections because the Police cannot cover the country.
Kaihura said the army had successfully discharged its constitutional duty since 1986 in spite of many challenges.
“The Electoral Commission should ignore with the contempt that they deserve, those persons who do not want to see this historical contribution by the NRA/UPDF and who attempt to demonise and insult the men and women of the UPDF who have and continue to make personal sacrifice for a better Uganda,†Kaihura said.
He said the UPDF’s other role was to reinforce the Police during elections. He cited Article 209 of the Constitution, which enjoins the army to support other agencies in emergency situations.
In an apparent reference to former presidential candidate, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Kaihura said the UPDF got involved in the 2001 presidential elections because the Constitution was at stake.
“There were some elements who were saying they had 90% of army support. This means that we had two armies and two commanders-in-chief. It was a coup d’etat. In other situations, I don’t think that person would have been lucky to see the light of day,†he said.
“The UPDF and and military personnel are permitted with limitations to participate in elections as candidates, electors and/ or campaigners,†he said.
He supported block voting by the army and asked the commission to point out past mistakes for correction.
Deputy Chief Justice Laeticia Kikonyogo has come under further attack from the military over her call to the UPDF to keep off the electoral process.
President Yoweri Museveni’s military assistant Brig. Kale Kaihura on Saturday said the remarks were redundant, unfortunate, suspect and based on distortions.
Kaihura was presenting a paper on the role of the army in the electoral process at a workshop organised by the Electoral Commission at Speke Resort Munyonyo. Kikonyogo had proposed that the army be excluded and replaced with adequate security of the commission’s choice.
But Kaihura said, “Those who are calling for the army to keep off elections or to be removed from Kinkizi because there is going to be a bye-election, do not know what they are talking about or their aims are sinister. There is nobody who can claim more ownership of the democratic process than the UPDF.â€
Kaihura, who is also UPDF’s chief political commissar, while brandishing a copy of The New Vision which carried the story, said the UPDF had since 2001 come under severe attack, the latest being from Kikonyogo, over alleged interference in elections.
Police chief Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala told the workshop on Friday that it was lawful to use the army during elections because the Police cannot cover the country.
Kaihura said the army had successfully discharged its constitutional duty since 1986 in spite of many challenges.
“The Electoral Commission should ignore with the contempt that they deserve, those persons who do not want to see this historical contribution by the NRA/UPDF and who attempt to demonise and insult the men and women of the UPDF who have and continue to make personal sacrifice for a better Uganda,†Kaihura said.
He said the UPDF’s other role was to reinforce the Police during elections. He cited Article 209 of the Constitution, which enjoins the army to support other agencies in emergency situations.
In an apparent reference to former presidential candidate, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Kaihura said the UPDF got involved in the 2001 presidential elections because the Constitution was at stake.
“There were some elements who were saying they had 90% of army support. This means that we had two armies and two commanders-in-chief. It was a coup d’etat. In other situations, I don’t think that person would have been lucky to see the light of day,†he said.
“The UPDF and and military personnel are permitted with limitations to participate in elections as candidates, electors and/ or campaigners,†he said.
He supported block voting by the army and asked the commission to point out past mistakes for correction.