European Union awaits election observers' invite

ELECTION WATCH|MEDIA

The European Union (EU) ambassador to Uganda has broken silence on why the EU will not have observers to monitor the 2021 general elections.

Ambassador Attilio Pacifici said unlike in the past national polls where the Government formally wrote to the EU inviting them to participate as stakeholders in the electoral process, this time around they were not invited.

"We need to have a specific invitation. We want to feel and know that the EU is welcome," Pacifici said.

The remarks were made during a public debate held at Parliament on the Role of the media in promoting free and fair elections.

The function, which was organised by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA), doubled as a swearing-in ceremony for the new executive.

EC speaks out

Paul Bukenya, the acting spokesperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), said the prerogative and mandate to invite election observers lies in the hands of the commission.

He said a general invite was sent out through the foreign affairs ministry to all the international observers interested in monitoring the 2021 general elections.

Bukenya was surprised to learn that the EU had not received their invite. He advised them to reach out to the foreign affairs ministry like the other countries have.

"We do not write specific letters. Our invitation to international bodies was channelled through the foreign affairs ministry. We invited all regional and international bodies to take interest in the roadmap and apply for accreditation as observers and some members have done so," Bukenya said.

Pacifici acknowledged the efforts of the EC to send a general invite but argued that this does not serve well the purpose of the partnership between the EU and the Government of Uganda in promoting democracy.

"If you want people to come to your house, you have to send a specific invitation. This is not the kind of invitation that we can utilise to mobilise support," Pacifici said.

During the last general polls in 2016, the EU report noted that the election fell short of the minimum international standards of a free and fair election.

What others say

Francis Mwijukye, the Buhweju County MP, who is from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, said the withdrawal of the EU as an electoral observer is a vote of no confidence in the EC and a signal that the country is headed for the most unfair election.

Peter Mwesige, the founder of the Africa Centre for Media Excellence, said the absence of international observers such as the EU puts the media in the spotlight, with the role of covering the elections with truth and accuracy becoming more critical.

Vision Group's Moses Mulondo, who was re-elected to serve as the president of UPPA, appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to fulfi l his constitutional obligation to constitute the communications tribunal provided for in Section 65 of the Uganda Communications Act.

Arguing that all economically progressive countries discourage taxes that limit people's access to the Internet, Mulondo also appealed to the Government to scrap over the top tax (OTT), which he said has brought down Uganda's access to the Internet from 47% to 34%. 

The country representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Robert Ayeda Kotchani, emphasised the need for all stakeholders to promote and safeguard press freedom, which is fundamental in promoting free and fair elections.