Uganda and East Africa crying out for violence-free elections

Ugandan presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, sits inside the courtroom in Iganga, eastern Uganda, on November 20, 2020. [Reuters]

Campaigns for the January 14, 2021 Uganda elections have been anything but peaceful and democratic. Sustained violence against opposition candidates and their supporters has been the order of the day. Unfortunately, the violence has been perpetrated by the police and army under the guise of reinforcing Covid-19 containment measures.

Yet in the ignominy of electioneering violence, whether by the state or individuals, Uganda is not alone.

Its neighbours Tanzania and Kenya have not fared any better during election years, a manifestation that democracy remains a distant dream in the region.

In the lead up to the October 28, 2020 Tanzania’s general election, the opposition cried foul, particularly after State security organs were used to disrupt opposition rallies and arrest opposition leaders.

Opposition leader Godbless Lema was forced to flee to Kenya to escape attempts on his life. Worse, the government of Tanzania placed a muzzle on a free press.

Uganda’s opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, who happens to be President Yoweri Museveni’s strongest challenger after Kizza Besigye chose to stay out of this year’s race, has borne the brunt of State intimidation. Like Besigye who suffered arbitrary arrests and detentions in police cells, was forbidden to speak to his supporters and occasionally was confined to house arrest, Kyagulanyi has been teargased, arrested on several occasions and beaten up. A police vehicle ran over and killed his bodyguard recently. In the incident, several journalists were shot and injured by the security officers.

Such intimidation by leaders who claim to be champions of democracy, yet employ every means at their disposal to suppress democratic ideals is unacceptable and should be condemned.

This is the clearest indicator that when the time comes, the Uganda elections, like those in Tanzania last year and Kenya in 2017, would not be deemed to be free and fair. Covid-19 containment measures have not stopped President Yoweri Museveni from campaigning across the country.

Taking undue advantage of incumbency to run roughshod over opponents in a contest that citizens should decide through the ballot box is a slap in the face for democracy. An incumbent who strongly believes he or she is the people’s favourite has no business using State resources to intimidate others.

Our leaders should accept and acknowledge the right of citizens to elect their leaders without coercion. Only then can we be deemed politically mature.