Electoral Commission credibility key to post 2016 Uganda

By Katia Mugenzi

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the ancient Roman philosopher and orator, once said, “Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, nothing more obscure than human intentions and nothing more deceptive than the whole election system." Nevertheless it is the only option and it needs to be enhanced to produce the best results. 

Since 1980, there have been many controversies surrounding Uganda’s electoral system.  The 1980 elections where four political parties contested including CP, DP, UPC and UPM, now NRM where UPC technically won.

Part of the problem was that prior to independence, elections were not much valued because the colonial government was the one handling the affairs of the country. After we attained independence in 1962, Ugandans have developed interest in our country’s democracy. 

But there is this question that still rings in my head, and I suspect in the minds of other Ugandans too: Is there any consensus in the way we choose our leaders?

From 1981 to 1986, UPC rigged the votes, and since then, there have been allegations that the NRM has been rigging the elections with the help of the EC. There have been allegations of people’s names missing from the voter registers.

To avoid all these potential disputes, Uganda should learn from its mistakes just like Kenya did after the debacle of the 2007 elections. Countries like Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, Botswana and many others have had peaceful change of leaders because of an independent EC.

A more participatory and transparent process of appointment of the members of the EC should be supported. The chairperson and commissioners of the commission be appointed by the president from a pool of names submitted to him by the judicial service commission.

To avoid raising doubt, under this procedure, any citizen may propose names for chairperson and commissioners of the EC to the Judicial service commission.

 This will encourage democracy, security and human rights.

 Despite argument by Prof. Badru Kiggundu, the EC chairman, that democracy is expensive, who would not approve and appreciate if the sh1.2 trillion is spent on a more democratically elected government? After all, we will help Uganda have good governance, and the fruits of good governance are respect for human rights, rule of law, transparent processes and accountable institutions, equity and attitudes that will advance responsibility and solidarity tolerance. 

Kenyans, for example, held an expensive referendum in 2010 which helped them make an independent institution of electoral commission which has helped them have peaceful elections.

Worthy of note is that under this government, certain strides have been taken for an independent commission.  Prof. Kiggundu, for instance, has insisted on the road map for the 2016 elections to be a credible and peaceful.

As well, the EU report of 2011 elections noted that elections in Uganda had made some improvements. For example, election results were announced on time contrary to what was the norm in the past.

There is communal participation whereby people engage in verifying results. For the EU, Uganda legal framework offers a workable and detailed foundation for the proper conduct of elections. However, there is need for a policy to streamline all loopholes, most importantly the need for an objective and transparent mechanism to have free and fair democratic exercising of the voter’s right to choice.

The EC doesn’t need to depend on anyone as a part of the independent judicial system of the government. An independent EC will not care who wins the elections and will never be swayed from the truth.

That is the EC we need for the 2016 elections.

The writer works with Citizens’ Coalition for electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU)