A mockery of democracy, good governance
Yoweri Museveni will be swearing in today following “successfully winning the elections” , to begin the journey to his 40th year as president of one of the poorest countries in the world. The win has been widely contested informally by many people with a belief that he did not win, but there are equally a number of voices including those of religious leaders that have congratulated him over wining.
Some sycophants have continued to drum the unpopular message that the elections went on well and that their candidate genuinely won. Logically, a win is where there is a leveled competition, well balanced in all aspects and a clear outcome. Was this the case?
It is common knowledge that serious election malpractices occurred to the extent that even at polling stations, results are said to have been tampered with in favour of some candidates. There are several untold stories of how people were not given an opportunity to make a choice of the presidential candidate as per the ballot paper but were compelled to cast their votes using pre-ticked ballot papers.
Other stories are that the military took over polling stations, ticked ballots and inserted them in the ballot box and when the voters turned up to vote, they were told voting had ended. More stories say that there was heavy military deployment in some strong holds of Opposition leaders, which scared off voters. It is also claimed that the presidential results released by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission may not have reflected the people’s will and desire. The lack of clarity on how the results were flowing in from the tally centres, given that there was an internet shutdown cast a lot of doubt on the authenticity of the outcomes transmitted and released. Unfortunately all these are not well documented and it may not be possible to prove any of the above, but there is no smoke without fire.
It would certainly have made a lot of sense if an election audit had been made as a way of clarifying the allegations and to offer credibility to the election process and the incoming leadership before the swearing in.
What is at stake at the moment is the culture being planted in the people of this country and Africa. Is doing wrong being commissioned and glorified? Leaders have been heard justifying what went wrong, what lessons are the young people learning? Are statements speaking to enhancing good governance real and worth believing in? Leaders from several nations have confirmed attending the swearing-in ceremony, a sign of good friendship. Would it be right to say that they are birds of the same feathers? Democracy in Africa will continue to be a witticism, a gamble, a distress and disgrace if the leaders continue to celebrate the uncouth actions and behaviours. Leaders should reach out to one another to cultivate a better Africa.
Some former presidential candidates, who have shunned the invitations to attend the swearing-in ceremony, seem to be making a point. Gen Mugisha Muntu, known to be the most principled politician in Uganda, was quoted by the media saying he would not attend because that would be a betrayal to the Ugandan electorate, with a justification that the elections were highly manipulated. If Ugandans hold his view, then the credibility and integrity of some of the key incoming leaders is questionable. Ugandans are not only apprehensive but seem to have resigned, leaving everything to God.
Mr John Mary Odoy is an advocate for human rights and good governance
