Free and Fair?

SCARE TACTICS? The opposition say heavy deployment of the military, like these in downtown Kampala, was part of the wider rigging plan. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA

Kampala

Barely 72 hours since the February 18 polls’ result was declared, pressure is mounting on the government and Electoral Commission as more presidential candidates contest the outcome and observers raise searching questions about the integrity of the process.

Democratic Party president general Norbert Mao yesterday morning joined three other candidates in refusing to recognise President-elect Museveni. He also denounced the EC, which declared Mr Museveni winner with 68 per cent of the vote, of being an accomplice in what he said was an unparalleled electoral fraud. “The outcome of an electoral process which is marred by massive rigging, bribery, intimidation and a disenfranchisement of voters cannot be legitimate. We cannot and will not accept as legitimate the outcome of such a manifestly flawed process,” he said.

The President, meanwhile, should have addressed a press conference yesterday. But by press time, media teams were still waiting to be told the time and venue for the briefing. Mr Museveni and his party deny allegations of any malpractice levelled against them and have warned of firm action against post-election protests.

Between Friday and Monday, the Forum for Democratic Change leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, Uganda Peoples Congress’ Olara Otunnu and independent candidate Sam Lubega had individually promised to take steps that they say will return the country to the path of constitutional and true democratic rule.

The four candidates are leaving all options open as they reject the outcome of what they agree was a “sham election”. Separately, the only female candidate in the race, Ms Beti Kamya, has also denounced the election as unfree and unfair, and fraught with intimidation and bribery.

Yesterday, Mr Mao also declared what he called a campaign of defiance against the “illegitimate” government of Mr Museveni. The DP leader said “what President Museveni and the NRM have done can only be categorised as a coup against the people of Uganda”, arguing that “through fraud, intimidation and bribery, the Ugandan people have been denied the right to exercise a free choice.”

Curfew
Mr Mao pointed at the palpable anxiety hanging over the country in questioning the legitimacy of Mr Museveni’s claim to victory. “Otherwise,” he asked, “why should someone who has garnered 70 per cent of [the] votes have to deploy thousands of armed troops around the country and impose a virtual curfew?” He warned that this election has eroded the people’s confidence in the electoral process, and that “barring far-reaching reforms, it will be difficult to persuade Ugandans that free and fair elections are possible in Uganda.”

This criticism already forms the theme in preliminary reports issued by an array of election observers from the Commonwealth, the European Union, the African Union, local and international civil society organisations.
While noting that the elections were generally peaceful, though clouded by the intimidating deployment of heavily armed troops, the observers report that President Museveni abused the privilege of incumbency and was the beneficiary of unprecedented bribery of voters.

By yesterday afternoon, neither the American nor British governments, known key allies of the sitting President, were ready to comment on whether the elections were free and fair as by law required. The Public Affairs Officer at the US Mission in Kampala, Ms Joann Lockard, said: “I don’t have anything for you today. Maybe later tonight but I cannot promise.” She said she would get back to this newspaper after channelling the information to Washington.

Similarly, the British High Commission could only promise to get back to this newspaper but had not done so by press time. Appealing to the country’s international partners who contribute significant development assistance, Mr Mao, however, criticised them for baby-sitting undemocratic leadership. “We say to you that for years you have invested more in individual despots. In the words of [US] President Obama, Africa does not need strong men but strong institutions. We urge you to realise that your relationship should be more with the people rather than the regime in power,” he said.

“We further urge you to realise that it is hypocritical to pick and choose which violations to condemn and seek redress for. It is fine to hear world leaders condemn the discrimination of homosexuals but we are disturbed when we do not hear condemnation of extra-judicial killings, illegal detentions and sham elections.”

Deputy spokesperson at the EC, Mr Paul Bukenya last evening said the commission will be in a better position to respond after “internalising” all the reports by observers and candidates. “It’s only then that we can come up with an appropriate response,” he said.