No need to postpone elections says Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni says there will be no need to postpone general elections in Uganda, since, "We cannot postpone life," and proposes cautiously persevering through the COVID-19 era, as a country.

There have been calls from some groups and individuals, to postpone elections, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the President insists that it will not be necessary.

In a tweet as he was leaving the Karamoja region for Teso, Museveni said; "Some people were saying we postpone elections because of #Covid19 but we cannot postpone life. Once a problem comes, we have to find a way of dealing with it. Just like we have dealt with AIDS, Ebola, we can deal with Corona as long as people are not reckless and follow the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)."

He added, in a related tweet, that he had met with NRM leaders from Teso region, and that not holding campaign rallies is not the end of the world.

"Gathering large numbers of people in this pandemic period will cause more infections and death, and while many have healed from Corona, some have died," he said.

Much as the President has not been holding rallies, some of his competitors for the country's top seat have been doing so, an issue which led to the arrest of Presidential candidates; Robert Kyagulanyi and Patrick Amuriat on Wednesday, November 18.

In July this year, the Electoral Commission (EC) noted that it is not within its powers to postpone general elections in the country.

When responding to questions about calls for postponing the election to give all candidates a fair chance in light of the COVID-19 era, where they can hold physical campaigns, the EC boss, Justice Simon Byabakama said, "The option of postponing the election has not even occurred to us as a commission because it is not in our mandate. The EC is guided by the Constitution Article 61 Clause 2 and unless that is changed by those who are mandated to, we have to comply."

Elections can be postponed, by declaring a State of emergency to give Parliament leeway of postponing the elections, or through a referendum.