EC must pronounce itself on Agago police boss act

On Monday evening a local radio station in Agago District was switched off air on orders of the district police commander while presidential candidate Patrick Oboi Amuriat was speaking to the electorate.

The intention was clear— to deny the presidential candidate access to the electorate.

This incident tells a lot about the conduct and professionalism or unprofessionalism of the Uganda police. It also speaks a lot about the credibility of this election, integrity of the Electoral Commission, and the level of intimidation of security agencies on the media. But above all, it points to the futility or pretence of the EC recommendation to candidates to use virtual campaigns/mass media instead of the traditional public rallies as a way of preventing mass spread of the Covid-19.

What the Agago District police commander did is an arbitrary act but the fact that he has not been summoned or reprimanded by his superiors for this partisan and illegal act suggests they agree with or condone what he did. This then reflects the general behaviour of the rank and file of the police force.

The impunity with which he committed that arbitrariness exposes the Uganda police as unprofessional and partisan force that not only undermines the rule of law but also scorns the Electoral Commission’s guidelines for virtual campaigns to prevent the Covid-19 prevalence.

Police does not regulate the media. Even if the radio station had violated broadcasting rules, it would not be police to switch it off air, moreover, by a unilateral decision of a district police commander. We have had similar incidents in the previous elections where some presidential candidates were denied air time on the mass media after security agencies or personnel threated the management with closure if they hosted them especially the Opposition. However, the public thought this behaviour had ceased. Given that this security interference in the electoral process is recurring and rearing its ugly head this early in the campaigns, it definitely shows it will be worse by polling time in January.

The integrity of the Electoral Commission is also at stake. What happen to Amuriat will happen to other candidates. It’s the EC’s advice that the 2021 campaigns be virtual and candidates should use the mass media, social media and other electronic channels to reach out to the electorate. But the incident of Agago negates the EC recommendation. The EC has no control over the conduct of the errant security personnel but it must come out, as the electoral body, and pronounce itself on the Agago incident.  The EC silence on this matter will suggest it condones the act and will give credence to claims that EC is blind to irregularities committed by security forces against other candidates, especially the Opposition.

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