Joyce Namugambe
Following the continuous violence and conflicts during the electoral process in Uganda’s local and national elections, the Africa Freedom of information Centre has come up with a report showing the causes for the violations and the recommendations that can be used to make the upcoming elections free from violence, which will attract more Ugandans to be part of the process with full hopes for better results.
According to the findings conducted between march 2020 to 2021, there were 118 incidents of violations during elections in 63 districts around Uganda, 24000 cases in the week of December 28th, 580 reports of kidnapping, with 78% were regular cases of opposition voters, and 261 people died due to electoral related violence.
While speaking during the training on freedom of expression, access to information for promotion of free and fair elections in Uganda organized by AFIC, at Skyz Hotel in Kampala, the AFIC Executive director Gilbert Ssendugwa noted that, 70% of all electoral violence occurs at the hands of state actors such as police, military and national intelligence agents wearing plain clothing among others.
Gilbert emphasized that the reason for this training if to find means of making Uganda electoral process better through strengthening what has been going on well, and changing what has been distorting the electoral process positively, so that Ugandans are attracted to engage in the upcoming elections with appositive attitude.
The electoral commission legal advocate Godfrey Musinguzi said that many people out there keep criticizing the electoral commission but they don’t actively take part in the electoral activities when they are called upon, thereby arguing Ugandans to participate in the electoral processes at all levels if they want to see the electoral system change in Uganda.
The deputy Secretary General Justice forum Fred Kasajja, has shown concern over the fraud in Uganda’s electoral system, which he says has taken a long time without being worked upon, which has led to a negative perception of the public towards Uganda’s elections, being one of the reasons why most Ugandans don’t actively participate in the electoral process.
The report recommends that security authorities, security agencies, political parties and development partners, have a collective responsibility to see Uganda’s election process positively change for free and fair elections, through fighting the election related violence in the country.
Among the recommendations include, development partners to engage the government to re-establish effective elections in the country, political parties to restrain from incitement of riots during the election period, security agencies should peacefully arge the public to desist from violence activities, security authorities should help establish appropriate guidelines for the involvement of security agencies in the national elections etc.
Among the districts that experienced election related violence around Uganda are Kampala, Masaka, Wakiso, Mityana, Mpigi, Sheema, Kisoro, Kisoro, Iganga, Buduuda, Arua among others.
This training was attended by representatives from the Uganda police, Electoral Commission, Human rights network, Uganda communication Commission, UNESCO, Civil society organizations, representatives from the 5 major political parties and media.
