Don’t suppress opposition under guise of Covid-19 prevention, govt told

A continental body has urged government not to suppress the opposition under the guise of enforcing the Covid-19 guidelines as the race for the 2021 general elections gains momentum.

The coordinator of the African Governance Architect, Mr Michael Aboneka, said government has instead looked on as some politicians who subscribe to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), freely go on with politicking untouched.

“Political parties too should be allowed space to converse for support and fairly compete in the elections. As previously seen, most opposition parties have not been allowed to compete fairly as their campaigns, party meetings have been stopped in the name of COVID-19 SOPs violation,” Mr Aboneka said.

Adding: “On the contrary, we have seen the ruling party politicians given a green light to campaign, canvass for support and even carry out primary elections without observing the COVID-19 measures such as social distancing and wearing a mask-this has created double standards which is an injury to democracy.”

Article 17 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), enjoins states to hold regular transparent, free and fair elections.

When this reporter contacted the deputy spokesperson of the Uganda Media Center, Col. Shaban Bantariza, he declined to explain why government is exercising double standards.

He reasoned that such allegations are better explained by legal experts like the Attorney General.

Deputy Attorney General, Mr Jackson Kafuuzi denied that government is applying double standards but conceded that some police officers are overzealous when it comes enforcing Covid-19 preventive measures.

“Personally, I am NRM but the police camped at my home thinking my supporters were to make a procession. So you see, some officers are overzealous in as far as the enforcement of the Covid-19 measures,” he said.

“So it’s not right to conclude that the government and the police in particular is targeting the opposition and leaving out the politicians in the ruling NRM untouched,” Mr Kafuuzi said.

Mr Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said as the police, they are non-partisan and that whoever violates irrespective of the party they subscribe to, they will be acted upon.”

“We do our work independently. We have witnessed incidents where the police has dispersed unlawful political rallies/ gatherings organized by the NRM politicians like in Sembabule, Ntungamo, among other places, so it’s not true that we only target the opposition, ”Mr Onyango said.

“Remember, we are non-partisan, meaning we don’t mind whether you are NRM, FDC, NUP, DP , once you go against the established laws and in this case, holding mass rallies, we shall disperse you,” he added.

During party elections recently when the NRM supporters were seen not observing any of the SOPs such as wearing face masks, social distancing during the primaries, political activist, Dr Kizza Besigye; sarcastically said when it comes to NRM politics, Covid-19 goes on holiday.

In June this year, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Justice Simon Byabakama announced that there will be digital campaigns for general elections in 2021.

The move is aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.

The scientific elections as he described them, will mean that the traditional big rallies that were synonymous with political campaigns across the country, will not be allowed.

Electoral Commission chairperson explained that this time round, campaigns will be conducted through print, electronic and social media and other online platforms.

Mid this year, President Museveni said there was a possibility of postponing the forthcoming general polls if the Covid-19 infection curve had not flattened by July.

However, the curve has since shot higher but he has not officially come out to announce whether the polls will be postponed or not.

The EC is busy implementing the set out elections roadmap, which elections are expected to take place in February next year if all goes as planned.