{UAH} Prof Anyang Nyong'o -- Says "Nullify" Uganda Vote; Museveni Would Block Unity Govt "At His Own Peril"
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10:44 PM |
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During a visit to New York City this past weekend, Prof. Anyang Nyong'o, the senator and renowned scholar who in Kenya's Parliament denounced Uganda's Feb. 18 election as "rigged, hollow and sham," sat down for an interview.
Prof. Nyong'o Says If Museveni Blocks Unity Govt, Would Be "At His Own Peril"
Q: Why was it important for you to make the statement that you made in the Parliament of Kenya with respect to the Ugandan election?
Nyong'o: I think for one, because I believe Uganda deserves a better government than the one it has at the moment and that it is betrayal of our commitment to democracy and to national sovereignty for any government in Africa to mismanage elections, so as to favor an incumbent regime and not give the people the right to choose the government that they want --- whenever this happens anywhere in Africa, a government that does not respect the rights of its own people, all of us in Africa must be concerned.
Q: So you followed the election closely and what were some of the things you found most alarming?
Nyong'o: I think some of the things I found most alarming was one; not to allow candidates to move freely and to campaign freely. The frequent arrests or obstruction of opposition candidates. An election is not just on the day of the election. A democratic election starts right from the time you register voters. You establish a credible register of voters; you allow people to go to polling stations, and you allow candidates to mobilize support for themselves, and freely. And I think if you look at the whole process right from the beginning – of the registration of voters, the campaign process, the day of the elections, when the ballot papers were opened, whether people had access to ballot papers equally, whether they were properly counted, and the results announced properly, if you look at the whole process in the Uganda case, there were failures at every stage.
Q: Now the Commonwealth Observer team, the European Union observer team, in addition to Uganda election observers have all concluded that these elections were not free, fair and credible. What do you think the International community can do, additionally?
Nyong'o: I think the International community should refuse to give any credibility to Museveni as president. I think he remains a candidate as far as I am concerned. A candidate who has usurped power; and imposing his regime on the Ugandan people. I think the charter of the United Nations Organization is very clear. The United Nations is composed of nations who freely accede to the United Nations' Charter and approved its principles. The African Charter on Democracy outlines what democracy is, what good governance is, and what role free and fair elections play in establishing that good governance.
If you look at all these, Museveni fails and I think that the elections that were held on the 18th of February, 2016 in Uganda should be nullified, a fresh poll should be taken when there is a proper process of voting and a proper and a proper institution of managing the electoral process.
In the meantime, my prescription is that there should be an interim government which will manage political reforms in Uganda so that next time we are having elections Ugandans can have the correct process.
Museveni is held in the contempt which he deserves. It is not used for the basis of forming any government.
The ground rules should be agreed upon over which a government of national unity, which is interim, should be established, given a mandate of two or so years during which proper reforms should be undertaken and after those two years elections are held which would be free and fair and produce a legitimate authority.
Q: What if the person who refers to himself as the incumbent at the moment General Museveni, refuses to yield?
Nyong'o: Well that would really be at his own peril because I don't think the people of Uganda will accept that decision. I think he refuses at his own peril. It is very clear that there is discontent. Very clear that even within his own party. So he knows.
Q: Would you like to see other statesmen from other African countries and around the world take a similar position as you have taken?
Nyong'o: I think we should. I think it is good for Museveni. It is good for the people of Uganda; and I think he has had enough time to give service to the Ugandan people. Overstaying will just reduce him to a contemptible leader.
Q: Some of the military officials like the police commander, Kayihura, have made statements that people consider incitement to violence. Should there be consequences?
Nyong'o: Well I mean there is a possibility when a regime like the one we have in Uganda is under such pressure, there is a possibility they might try to incite people to violence so that there is excuse for a Right Wing military coup which would then use excessive force to repress popular discontent. That has happened; it was a typical thing in Latin America for a long time and we have known that governments themselves can instigate coups to find an excuse for repression and I think that general perhaps should be reminded of that.
Q: Final words or suggestions for Ugandans specifically and Africans generally?
Nyong'o: I must say that Ugandans should be congratulated. They did go out under difficult circumstances to express their will. To show the world that they are ready and mature enough to vote for a government of their own choice. Some voted for Museveni. I believe the majority of voted for the opposition. Again we must give credit to Ugandans that they have been extremely patient with Museveni and, to me, there has been a lot of undue suppression and hostility. Ugandans have shown tremendous tolerance to injustice; and having done that the world should not let them down. They should come to their aid so that we can see a Uganda in which people are free to choose a government of their own will.
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