(5 minutes read)
· Uganda’s inter-religious council called off presidential candidates’ debate, which was eagerly awaited on Thursday (3 December)
· General elections will be held in Uganda on 14 January 2021 to elect the President and the Parliament
· Ahead of the elections, the Uganda Electoral Commission had issued on June 16 banning public rallies as a part of preparedness against the spread of Covid-19
Uganda’s inter-religious council called off presidential candidates’ debate, which was eagerly awaited on Thursday (3 December). The council said the debate was to be called off due to limited resources at its command. Some ten presidential candidates were to take part in the debate, giving a new dimension to the lection process. It is not known when the debate would take place or whether it would take place at all.
General elections will be held in Uganda on 14 January 2021 to elect the President and the Parliament. Ahead of the elections, the Uganda Electoral Commission had issued on June 16 banning public rallies as a part of preparedness against the spread of Covid-19. It also instructed that the campaigns have to be conducted through media like radio, television, internet etc. This caused mass protests amongst the opposition telling that such steps would help only the ruling party.
Uganda’s electoral commission’s relationship with electioneering politicians has caused hiccups in the past. Many of the opposition leaders are highly distrustful of the body, which is hand-picked by the incumbent president. Interestingly, President Yoweri Museveni was also on record accusing the electoral body of indulging in rigging to get his party out of office in 2014.
The debate was proposed in the light of numerous cases of security agencies indulging in right violations. Uganda’s opposition parties have been taking up these issues with the government quite regularly. Those who oppose the government are facing the wrath of the police. The brief arrest of famous musician Bobi Wine was a case in point. Two weeks ago, 54 people died while protesting against his arrest at a campaign rally. The security forces defended themselves by telling that they were only implementing Covid-19 guidelines to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
Though Bobi Wine was released on bail, he was later charged with violating pandemic restrictions on gathering of crowds. He later met the electoral commission and urged that there should be equitable campaigns and police should be stopped from intimidating the opposition leaders and their members.
