Maybe we should postpone holding the 2021 elections

Our last Saturday’s Minority Report was titled: ‘So Ugandans, what is your government’s plot for 2021’? As if in direct response to our question, the Electoral Commission (EC) this week unveiled a roadmap for the 2021 General Elections. It is as good; and in good time.
Just stand down, we will not brag about this one. But on a serious note, what is the meaning of the EC’s road map in material terms?
The roadmap (‘work plan’ sounds better?) has been released in the middle of a financial year. That means if government were to be serious about this roadmap, the pooling of resources for the electoral process will be reflected in the budgetary appropriations in June 2019 and June 2020.
Recommendations of the non-legislative social-stability and political processes like the National Dialogue and the Constitutional Review Commission (organised by the State) will be reached with a wary eye cast on the elections. Please note that recommendations of the National Dialogue and the Constitutional Review Commission would require to be adopted as part of the legislative and constitutional regimes (under which the electoral process would be run).
And by the way, there are demands or orders of the Supreme Court issued in the judgment or determination of Electoral Petition No.1 of 2016. These were specific orders that need to be addressed before the 2021 elections. Of course the reader may suggest that the Supreme Court orders should be included in the legislative processes (enactment and, or amendment of laws) or in the Constitution (under the Constitutional Review Commission).
Another material take away for me was that the EC seems to have put a moratorium on the creation of local administrative units. Poor souls at the EC…, as if they don’t know that the creation of districts (and now town councils and municipalities) is part of the electoral engineering (or campaigns)?
Someone asked me, ‘may be Ugandans should just postpone holding the 2021 elections?’ I responded thus: if Uganda doesn’t hold those elections, her economy would suffer. You know, politics has been turned into an industry and elections are the activities that drive that industry. Politics in Uganda is such a big economic activity that it unites both those in power and the Opposition in sharing spoils.
All said and done, I call on Ugandans to explore the idea of postponing the 2021. If you are upset by my suggestion, come and beat me; I am in my shrine in Kiburara.
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I follow politics, security and military issues in Rwanda (and the region at large). And I would plead guilty if someone classified me as stalker of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.
Since becoming president, I have only seen photos of President Kagame once in clothings associated with the military. It was during some event (or other) promoting mountain gorillas as tourist attractions. He had a jungle overcoat thrown over his civilian clothes.
But this week, social media was awash with photos in which President Kagame appeared resplendent in full military combat uniform (madowadowa) looking every inch the general we most know him to be.
In 2000 or thereabouts, Mr Nicholas Shalita (Kagame’s press secretary) told me the president didn’t want to be addressed as Major General (his military rank).
This week, I retrieved that email from my system. Shalita’s wrote: ‘And you can be sure our president will not be seen in public dressed in military fatigues like a certain president known to you and I’.
So, what’s the meaning of the CEO’s new-found love for the cloak and dagger? Phew!