The State Minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda has revealed that the National Unity Platform (NUP) ferries people from Kampala to their various campaign venues.
The NUP principal Bobi Wine, real names Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has been evidently commanding the biggest crowds in this campaign period.
Minister Kiwanda, who doubles as the Mityana County North Member of Parliament (MP) said that if it were not for observing COVID19 guidelines, Kyagulanyi, who represents the people of Kyadondo East would not be anywhere near his boss, and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni in pulling crowds.
Minister Kiwanda further argued that if there is anybody who has been constrained so much by COVID19, then it is his boss Museveni.
"President Museveni used to hold a rally of over two million people, but now he is limited to only 200 people," Kiwanda said, putting the blame on COVID19.
He further added, "The President is very strict on the SOPs. We have some excitement from voters and mobilizers when they see opposition having rallies; they want to prove a point. But our president is a law abiding senior citizen."
Kiwanda also noted that the EC and Justice Byabakama didn't prepare well.
"We needed more stringent laws. If candidates were being disqualified for defying the guidelines, they would follow the SOPs," the Minister stressed.
Ronald Mukasa Senkubuge, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) Kampala Central Parliamentary aspirant extensively argued that an election is an emotionally charged environment, and no one, be it EC or security can stop an excited voter from hugging their candidate.
"We shouldn't make the situation worse by engaging in electoral violence. We have to hold the rallies in open spaces," Ssenkubuge advised.
Senkubuge also cited the need to have a new set of approaches also stated that it is very clear that there is a selective application of SOPs.
He asked, "The past week has been full of teargas. How much of it has been in the ruling party and opposition?"
"We had to use media a bit better during this time. The EC had to invest in pushing people to the media. They had to come out strongly to tell people to listen to radio and watch TV," he advised.
"We have made more mistakes. We have lost 50 lives to electoral violence and possibly we shall lose more," Senkubuge cautioned.
Anther independent presidential candidate, Nancy Kalembe said that people look stressed because the discipline of competition is not there in the campaigns.
She disclosed that people are ready for change, but they don't want teargas and war.
"While there is teargas and bullets, the people causing this have their families kept away. It is absolutely unnecessary," Kalembe noted, adding that the incumbent has overstayed, and the rest of the candidates in the race are angry.
By Baron Kironde
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