Uganda’s opposition claims elections have been compromised

Uganda's Opposition alliance has claimed the elections have been compromised.

Director of Uganda's Democratic Alliance (TDA) Zac Niringiye complained of electoral shortcomings that he blamed on a corrupt government machinery being controlled by the incumbent president Yoweri Museveni.

Speaking to The Standard yesterday in Nairobi, Mr Niringiye said of the 20 polling stations in Uganda, only three were opened by 9am, yet voting should have started by 7am.

"It has surprised me that ballot papers have not been received in some parts of Kampala, while they lay in abundance in other remote parts of the country where Museveni enjoys unparalleled support," Niringiye said, adding: "It is laughable that eight polling sations have not received the papers in Kampala, while they are a mere three kilometres from the warehouse where the ballot papers are stored."

Niringiye, who is also a clergyman, also hit out at Museveni over the decision to shut down all social media platforms. The Ugandan government instructed all internet service providers to shut down social media outlets. Mobile phone networks were also jammed.

"This time, it's a do or die for Museveni," Niringiye said adding: "The late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's end scares Museveni. I will not be surprised if he holds all political leaders in detention after the election," he added.

Niringiye also claimed Museveni uses money to buy peasants' votes in rural areas but since he cannot entice the middle class in Kampala the same way, he uses power to repress it.

TDA, which was formed before the elections, comprises eight political parties, eminent persons and civil society. But when it came to fielding one candidate to battle Museveni, the alliance could not agree on who to pick between Kizza Besigye and Amma Mbabazi. Mr Besigye ran on the Forum for Democratic Change while Mbabazi was forced to run as an independent candidate, since the pressure group that he rode on, named Go Forward TDA Uganda, was not recognised by Uganda's electoral law.

Niringiye however said the alliance would live on and force Museveni to quit.

"The election is not conclusive since the whole process has been compromised. It is an insult to Ugandans. For this, we in Opposition will not accept its outcome and will force Museveni to the table for a negotiated compromise," he said.