EC summons Kyagulanyi, Amuriat over breach of campaign guidelines

#UGDecides2021|KYAGULANYI|AMURIAT

KAMPALA - Presidential Aspirants for the National Unity Platform (NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Patrick Amuriat have been summoned by the Electoral Commission (EC) over breach of election guidelines and the Standard Operating Procedures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter dated December 10, EC Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi informed the duo to appear before the commission on Monday (December 14, 2020). 

Kyagulanyi is set to appear on Monday at 10:00 am while Amuriat will appear at 11:00 am.

In the letter addressed to Kyagulanyi, Byabakama reminded him that EC had held engagements with him together with NUP officials on November 5, 16, 2020 and also on December 2, 2020, in regard to their campaign activity.

"As you may be aware, in response to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health issued Regulation to manage the said pandemic," Byabakama reminded both Kyagulanyi and Amuriat.

He noted that the EC while issuing the Electoral guidelines and after consulting with the Ministry of Health, "adopted the measures provided in the Regulations to control the spread of the disease which were issued to all the stakeholders intending to participate in the General election activities."

Byabakama also reminded Kyagulanyi that in the meeting with EC on December 2, he was reminded to comply with the said guidelines in order to protect the citizens of this country from Covid-19 infections including himself as a candidate.

"In spite of what the Commission communicated in the above stated meeting and the press communication on the matter, you have continued to ignore and or neglected observing the SOPs by holding mass rallies and processions, contrary to the established guidelines thereby risking the lives of the people. In the process, this has resulted in an unwarranted occasional confrontation with security personnel, a case in point is mass rallies held at Iganga on November 17, 2020, and Koboko on December 8, 2020 among others and processions en route to campaign venues," Byabakama told Kyagulanyi.

For Amuriat, Byabakama reminded him of the "unwarranted occasional confrontations with security personnel as case in point at Mbarara on November 17 and 18, 2020 among others and processions en route to your campaign venues, among others."

In the initial guidelines released by the EC to the 11 Presidential candidates who were nominated in November this year, they were banned from organising processions and were only supposed to address not more than 70 people at designated places agreed upon by security. 

The candidates were also required to ensure those in attendance wore masks and had either washed their hands or sanitized.

The Ministry of Health would later revise the number of those allowed to attend the rallies to 200. 

However, some Presidential candidates like Kyagulanyi and Amuriat have been arrested or blocked several times and have engaged security in running battles as they chose to address huge crowds and move in procession in total disregard to the laid down SOPs.

Kyagulanyi was arrested in Luuka last month and charged in court. He was later released on bail on condition that he must ensure his supports adhere to the set SOPs but police have often accused him of failure to adhere to the bail conditions.