UGANDA'S FLAWED ELECTIONS: Observers have their final say on the polls

Dear Secretary-General

Further to our Interim Report of 11 December, we now have pleasure in forwarding our Final Report on the recent elections in Uganda.

It has been a great privilege for us to have been of service to the Commonwealth and to the people of Uganda, and we wish to record our deep sense of gratitude to the Government of Uganda for its assistance in facilitating our task.

Ambassador Ebenezer M. Debrah (Ghana) (Chairman

FINAL REPORT

In our Interim Report issued before the count began we dealt with the major aspects of the electoral process up to the completion of polling. In this Report, we deal with some of these more fully and consider others not dealt with before, such as the count. ‘Now that the full electoral process has been completed, we shall deal with each issue in its overall perspective, and attempt to assess whether it influenced the outcome and, if so, to what extent.

Terms of Reference

2. The Observer Group was constituted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General after consultation with member countries. We served in our individual capacities, not as representatives of our Governments.

3. We were given the following terms of reference:
"The Observer Group will observe every relevant aspect of the organisation and conduct of the elections by the Electoral Commission in accordance with the law of Uganda relating to elections.

Their function will be to ascertain in their impartial judgement, whether, in the context of that law, the elections have been free and fair.
In furtherance of this objective, it will be competent for the Group to bring to the attention of the Electoral Commission or the Ugandan authorities from time to time such matters as they consider pertinent."

4. The Group was constituted on 21 November 1980. After assembling in London for an initial briefing, and having satisfied ourselves about the adequacy of arrangements for our work, we reached Kampala on 25 November. The Chairman preceded other Members by two days.

The Situation in Uganda

5. Nothing we had seen or read had quite prepared us for the conditions that we encountered. Within hours of our arrival the tragic legacy of the Amin years quickly became apparent; every day enlarged our consciousness of its extent. A once thriving and prosperous country of immense potential had been brought to ruin.

The signs of economic and social collapse were everywhere, as were the psychological traumas caused by exposure to brutality on a massive scale. It was clear from the outset that the election was being held in the most appallingly difficult circumstances for which we would have to make due allowance.

The Parties