Omoro by-election was marred by abuses, says Human Rights Watch

The recently concluded Omoro parliamentary by-election was marred by security abuses directed at opposition players, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicates.

According to the report, security forces detained 13 Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters on the eve of the polls.

“Ugandan security forces raided the offices of an Opposition political party on the eve of the May 26, 2022, by-election in Omoro County in Northern Uganda. The security forces beat party supporters and arbitrarily detained at least 13 opposition supporters that night, and on Election Day,” reads in part the HRW report released yesterday.

The Omoro parliamentary by-election was to fill the seat previously held by Jacob Oulanyah, the Parliament Speaker, following his death on March 22.

At the end of the electoral process, the Electoral Commission declared Oulanyah’s son, Mr Andrew Ojok, of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), the winner with 83.3 percent of the vote.

Same pattern

“The abuses in Omoro reflect the same pattern of abuse against the Opposition, as during all of Uganda’s recent elections, for which no one has been prosecuted,” Mr Oryem Nyeko, a Uganda researcher at Human Rights Watch, said.

He added: “The authorities need to take urgent measures to end these persistent and repressive abuses and ensure accountability.”

Going forward, the report tasks the authorities to ensure prompt, effective investigations into the myriad of violations that characterised the by-election, and hold those found culpable for violations to account.

According to the report, witnesses said at around 8:30pm on the eve of the by-election, about 17 armed soldiers stormed the offices of FDC in Opit, a town centre 10 kilometres from the Omoro District headquarters in Lalogi Sub-county, where about 50 party officials had gathered ahead of voting the next day.

“The soldiers assaulted some of the party officials, beat them, stole money, and confiscated documents,” the report stated in part.

The report goes on to quote Ms Rose Nyapolo, an FDC official, who claimed soldiers hit her left eye, temporarily blinding her, and took Shs150,000 from her bag.

“The soldiers didn’t want anybody to be in the office,” Ms Nyapolo said. “They threatened to kill the one person who had remained in the office. We all scattered.”

When contacted yesterday, the army spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, declined to comment, saying: “I have not yet seen the report. I also need to get information from the ground on what happened.”

Monitor had reported that the Opposition claimed they were not able to cover all the 292 villages in Omoro County due to intimidation.

Election results

The NRM flag bearer garnered 14,224 votes (83.3 percent), while his closest contender, Mr Simon Toolit Akecha of NUP, got 1,633 votes. Mr Terence Odonga (Independent) polled 532 out of the 17,069 valid votes.

Mr Justine Odong of FDC flag  scored 529 votes to come in fourth. Mr Walter Jimmy Onen (Independent) got 88 votes, while the ANT candidate, Mr Oscar Kizza, brought up the rear with 63 votes.