{UAH} UPM Calls for fresh elections after Dec. 10

UPM Calls for fresh elections after Dec. 10
MONDAY, 26 JULY 2010 00:17
E-mail Print PDF

Movement lists malpractices

One of the political parties contesting the forthcoming elections - the Uganda Patriotic Movement - has called for immediate fresh elections after the December 10 poll to ensure peace and stability in the country.

The “fresh-election-call†was made in a statement issued by UPM Secretary General Bidandi Ssali in Kampala yester­day On behalf of the Movement’s Executive Committee

Bidandi contended in his statement that the elections were being held in conditions that have rendered them unfair and free.

The Uganda Patriotic Movement wishes to reiterate to the world in general and the Ugandan public in particular that the forthcoming gene­ral elections are going to be held under conditions that have already rendered them unfair and unfree. We wish to give a background to this state of affairs.

Right from the beginning it was clear that the Chairman of the Military Commission had motives other than organising a free and fair election when he unilaterally chose an electoral commission which exclu­ded names which had been suggested by DP and UPM. Our objection at the time was met by bland assurances that these men were men of “expe­rience and integrity!â€

Most constituencies have been gerrymandered that they make no sense as representational units. For instance the constituency where our President Y. Museveni is contesting has been unlawfully altered at least three times, (including last week) in a vain attempt to minimise his support. Our protest about gerrymandering has been ignored.

The registration exercise was a flop. Many people were denied registration on false grounds that they were foreigners whereas in other areas foreigners were imported from some neighbouring countries and were registered.

In all cases those who were denied registration were known opponents of UPC whereas the imported forei­gners registered were in all cases brought by UPC. Again our protests about these malpractices have borne little fruit.

During the nomination exercise sixteen UPM candidates were “dis­qualifiedâ€. Some of them were held at roadblocks by soldiers who had been deployed for that purpose until the time of nomination was over. It should surprise no one that all but one of those alleged to have been “returned unopposed’†came from one region. Other UPM candidates were denied nomination on grounds that their ability to speak English was not ascertainable and these included a University Senior Lectu­rer Mr. Chango Macho and a Catholic Father Rev. Father Okoth. All our petitions about nominations have been ignored by the Electoral Commission, i.e. by the men of “integrityâ€.

Up to now, fifteen District Commissioners who were also the Returning Officers have been retired arbitrarily by the Chairman of the Military Commission, apparently be­cause they did not apply themselves energetically in rigging elections in favour of UPC. The 15th was fired only two days ago apparently because when Obote went to Rukungiri there was no one to address! A situation has therefore arisen whereby almost all Returning Officers are UPC supp­orters. This says a lot for the impartiality we are supposed to expect from these officers.

Up to now, in most areas of Uganda the registers of voters have not yet been displayed so that voters can inspect them. We have incontrovertible evidence that regi­sters have been tampered with by removing names and substituting them with others. This is a require­ment of the law which the Electoral Commission is most reluctant to apply; besides, the final voters’ regi­sters have not arrived in the country. What registers are to be used?

In any country but Uganda the misuse of Government Radio/TV/ and the Government daily newspaper by one political party would be a scandal. These media trumpet UPC daily as if no other party exists.

Every night troops are deployed to display Obote’s pictures in towns and to pull down publicity materials of other parties. This is the case in all those towns where Uganda Libera­tion Army is to be found. What behaviour would be expected of such troops in the event of any other party winning the elections?

The world in general and Uganda in particular is being told by UPC radio that the elections are to be held under Uganda laws. What is not explained is that only those parts of the law which promote cheating are being implemented while those which minimise cheating don’t get implemented. How does one explain the nomination of a UPC candidate who cannot construct an English sentence and disqualify a University lecturer on the ground that he has no English certificate?

The Chairman of the Military Commission has not seen it fit to compel the display of registers at registration centres as provided for by the law just because UPC does not need it.

As a final touch to the manipulation exercise the Chairman of the Military Commission has UNLAWFULLY dismissed the Chief Justice and replaced him with one whose only visible qualification is his flair for meddling in UPC politics. It is, however, hoped that legal ethics will not permit the so-called new Chief Justice to take the OATH and to accept such an appointment.

The Uganda Peoples Congress, led by Dr Obote (the creator of Amin), is clamouring for a mandate from the people to form a government for the country. And yet the UPC has, even up to now, failed to form its own party government. The reason is fear of democracy within UPC itself as a party and the desire to install a one-man dictatorship. This is a flagrant violation of Article 7 of the UPC constitution.

Murders and other forms of harassment are now daily occu­rrences. As recently as last week a DP candidate in Kasese was murdered and although those who were impli­cated in the murder are known, they are still at large - free - and one is a UPC candidate! Elections cannot be free and fair’ while one is in the grave and his murderer is going to become an Honourable MP.

The world in general and Uganda in particular must be informed that all our requests and petitions to the Chairman of the Military Commi­ssion and to the Electoral Commi­ssion have been of a nature to pro­mote free and fair elections so that normality can return to our land and our people. No single instance can be cited which would show that we sought advantage for our Movement to the disadvantage of other parties.

We wish further to inform the world in general and Uganda in particular that our Movement has borne these extraordinary instances of provocation with extraordinary patience largely because of our overriding desire to minimise conflict in our already troubled country. But this patience is not infinite.

Consequently, the Executive Co­mmittee of the Uganda Patriotic Movement wants to make it clear that the Movement shall not reco­gnise the results of the 10th Dece­mber, 1980 elections. Nothing short of organising free and fair elections can ensure peace and stability for this country.

We therefore call upon whoever will be in authority after 10th December 1980 to immediately set in motion a process aimed at achieving this obje­ctive.

The situation today

Just like UPM was accusing the ruling Military Commission of refusing to reconstitute the Electoral Commission to accommodate representatives of other parties, the opposition today is also making similar accusations and demands and the NRM is giving exactly the same answers as the Military Commission gave in 1980 when the UPM protested the EC composition.

The opposition is accusing the current Electoral Commission of being incompetent and too partisan to organise free and fair 2011 general elections. For that reason, they demand that the Electoral Commission be reconstituted to have all political parties represented.

But President Museveni has flatly rejected the proposals (like the Military Commission rejected his similar demands in 1980) saying the Electoral Commission is composed of competent people of high integrity and that there will be no change in its membership.

The opposition is facing media blackout instigated by the ruling NRM just the same way the ruling Military Commission to the UPM and other opposition parties in 1980. The UPM/NRM complained of harassment by the security in 1980, the same thing it is visiting upon the opposition today.

The UPM/NRM accused the government Uganda national Liberation Army of moving around the city at night pulling down campaign materials of the opposition parties while pasting campaign posters of UPC.

The same thing has happened in all the previous elections under the NRM. Armed security personnel have pulled down campaign posters of the opposition candidates especially of Kizza Besigye around the city at night and hung posters of NRM. After losing to President Museveni in 2001 and 2006, the FDC president Dr Besigye challenged the outcome of the presidential elections in court following alleged rigging in the polls.

In his petition he accused the Electoral Commission of mismanaging the electoral process and cited examples. In both petitions in 2001 and 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that the elections were rigged and that the Electoral Commission failed to comply with the electoral law. But the court declined to annul the elections saying the final result was not affected in a substantial manner.

By petitioning the Supreme Court, Besigye was seeking fresh elections, just like Museveni’s party in 1980 was calling for the same. The only difference is that Museveni did not go to court. He later decided to go to the bush to launch a rebellion. The situation of the opposition in 1980 seems nearly the same today. Museveni’s party complained of being denied access to the media at the instigation of the state.

Today, many media houses especially radio and TVs have denied opposition candidates especially Besigye space on their airwaves upon getting “orders from above†not to host him. The state harassment of the opposition of 1980 seems to be replicating itself today nearly in the same form and substance. How history can repeat itself.Â

--

"My best songs: http://soundcloud.com/kibirige64/arise-final-mix,  http://soundcloud.com/kibirige64/revolution-final-mix,  http://soundcloud.com/kibirige64/president-final-mix

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.