Politicians accuse elite of abandoning voting

Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa. FILE PHOTO

A section of politicians have accused the Ugandan elite of abandoning voting to the elderly and the uneducated people.
Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa said majority of educated Ugandans are not engaged in the ongoing national voters register update, an indication that they are not going to participate in the voting exercise.
“Voter apathy is actually caused by these educated Ugandans who have abandoned the exercise. How can they (educated people) leave the future of this country to the old people?” Mr Basalirwa said yesterday in Kampala.

He was speaking during a youth dialogue organised by the Human Rights Centre - Uganda, ahead of the international human rights day, which is slated for December 10.
The former speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly, Mr Dan Kidega, said some elite think they are too special and do not want to line up and elect their leaders.
“The elite must stop calling politics a dirty game. They must all participate in the elections if they want a better country,” Mr Kidega said.

Mr Basalirwa also accused the youth of engaging in cheap politics. “The youths who have attained minimum education are being used to cause violence. The old do not beat people and I have witnessed this several time,” Mr Basalirwa said.
The vice guild president of Makerere University, Mr Judith Nalukwago, attributed the trend on leaders who end up fulfilling their personal interests when they are elected.

Deadline day
The Electoral Commission has set December 11 as the deadline for the voter register update and all those who will be left behind will not participate in the forthcoming coming elections.