Uganda is in the democratic hopes of appointing a new Electoral Commission:
A history of electoral governance in Uganda is a negative one
Kato Lubwama in a scuffle with the police within the premises of the High Courts of Law in Uganda over electrol malpractices
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4 2016
By Mwambutsya Ndebesa
Electoral governance is very central in the transition to a democratic dispensation. In fact the appointment of the electoral commission is a test for whether the country has chosen to take the path of democratic transition or one of sliding back into authoritarianism. The nature of electoral governance can lead to conflict management or conflict escalation. Electoral governance can be a tool for fighting corruption or promoting it because those elected corruptly are more likely to engage in corruption after assuming the office but those elected with integrity are more likely to serve with integrity. Electoral governance can be used as an instrument of building political consensus in a country or as an instrument for political manipulation and therefore disharmony. Electoral good governance and management can be a tool for better management of diversity in a heterogeneous country like Uganda.
A history of electoral governance in Uganda is a negative one. In the 1961 general elections, the potential voters in Buganda Kingdom were intimidated and harassed out of registration and voting but the then electoral commission did little to avert that practice. In 1962 elections and again especially in Buganda Kingdom the electoral commission appointed locally and controlled by the then Mengo government heavily rigged elections in favor of Kabaka Yeka party against the Democratic Party. In the 1980 elections the then head of state Paul Muwanga compromised the electoral commission results in favor of Uganda People’s Congress. Since the 1990’s the Uganda electoral commission has been accused of bias as manifested in the High and Supreme Court petition judgments as well as in the reports of election observers.
There is a positive correlation between the conduct of the electoral commission and the quality of the democratic process in democratic transitions like Uganda. Actually in Sub-Saharan Africa, the countries that have been hailed for making headway in democratic transitions since the wind of change or is it the change in the wind of the 1990’s, are Benin and Ghana. It is no coincidence that the electoral commissions of these countries have also been rated among the best electoral commissions in respect of impartiality on the African continent. On the other hand the countries that analysts have placed in categories of democratic blocked transitions in Africa such as Togo and Cameroon have biased and partisan electoral commissions.
Therefore the process of appointing electoral commissioners needs much attention and scrutiny. The following are the tips for appointing impartial and competent electoral commissioners; The person to be appointed a member of the electoral commission should have a history of impartiality in conducting public affairs. This person should not be holding nor should have held a political party position or post in the last five years. Note that there is a difference between a post and a position. A position is any high place within the hierarchy of a party such as an MP or party leader of any kind be it chairman or member of the executive. A post refers to employment in the party such as being a party civil servant at the national or district secretariat.
This person should have a history of independent mindedness in thinking and debating issues of public concern
He should not hold any other public office—like it is with the current chairman of the EC who is also the technical supervisor of Karuma Dam construction
She/he should be a woman or man of integrity with a history of interest in sacrificing and commitment to serve the common good rather than the private good.
This person should have a demonstrated national outlook behavior and attitude and not parochial or tribal both in rhetoric and practice This person should either have expertise in managing public affairs or at least have knowledge of electoral systems and electoral governance. As they say a politician looks at the next elections but a statesman at the next generation. The authorities mandated to conduct the process of appointing the commissioners should be statesmen and women but not politicians. The vetting process for appointing the new commissioners should also be subjected to public scrutiny. The parliamentary appointments vetting committee should allow public participation and interaction. There should be public hearings and comments as is the practice in the other standing committees of parliament. Of course it would have been better if the constitution was reviewed and a less politicised body such as the judicial or public service commission ideally select, interview and recommend to the president for appointment. Thereafter parliament would come in to vet the names as a matter of formality.
In my opinion the politics of constituting the electoral commission and the mode of appointing this important body will either build or destroy Uganda depending on whether the men and women in the political class decide to be statesmen and look at building for the next generation or decide to be politicians and look at how to win the next elections. A transparent exercise for appointment of the commissioners and the executive secretary of the electoral commission is the only guarantee for the independence, impartiality, non-partisanship, credibility and legitimacy of the commission and by extension for elections in Uganda.
Mwambutsya Ndebesa, History Department, Makerere University. ndebesam@yahoo.com
Nb
The long serving government of NRM by banning the political party of Kabaka Yekka in this country, one cannot see how it has improved the process of modern democracy!
Abaganda e Bungereza banaatuuza Abakungu ba Kabaka Mutebi II e Bulaaya:
The self-imposed former President of Uganda 1969 greeting the Catholic
Pope of Rome Paul VI at Entebbe Airport, Buganda State.
Uganda, Buganda State, Kampala Oct 27, 2015
Bya Musasi waffe
Abantu mwenna muyitibwa okubaawo ku mukolo ogwokutongoza olukiiko lw’omukungu wa Ssaabasajja e Manchester n’omwoleso gw’ebyobuwangwa (Buganda Cultural Festival) ku Lwomukaaga nga 14th November 2015.
Omukolo guno mawuuno, gugenda kubeera ku Parrs Wood High School Main Hall, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 5PG okutandika ku ssaawa musanvu (1pm).
Okuyingira kwa bwereere; era mu bitegekeddwa okukolebwa mulimu; Omusomo ogukwata ku nnyanja ya Kabaka, amazina ag’ekinnansi,ebitontome, empaka z’okusiba busuuti/gomesi, empaka z’abaami okuwaata amatooke, okwolesa emisono gy’engoye, empaka z’abaana okulanya n’okuyimba ekitiibwa kya Buganda,omweso, ekigwo ggumbya, okusika omugwa;okugaba ebirabo ne satifikeeti,n’ettoffaali n'era n'era. Eby’okulya n’okunywa ttomooni ate nga byonna bya bwereere!
Omugenyi omukulu ye mubaka wa Ssaabasajja mu Bungereza ne Republic of Ireland, Owek. Ronald Lutaaya ng'ono y’agenda okukola omukolo ogw'okutongoza omukungu wa Ssaabasajja e Manchester n'ebitundu ebiriranyeewo, Enock Mayanja Kiyaga, wamu n'olukiiko lwe.
Guno gwe mulundi ogusoose Manchester okufuna ofiisi y'omukungu wa Kabaka nga kino kyaggyawo oluvannyuma lw'enkyukakyuka Ssaabasajja ze yakola mu baami be abamukiikirira mu mawanga agali ebweru wa Uganda omuli ne Bungereza n'asiima ne Manchester efune omukungu ng’era ababaka abapya baalangirirwa mu mwezi gwa February omwaka guno 2015.
Mu ngeri y’emu, Ssaabasajja yawa abaami be yalonda obuyinza okwerondera obukiiko mu bitundu byabwe bwe banaddukanya nabwo emirimu.
Mu bagenyi abalala mulimu Omubaka wa gavumenti eyawakati mu Bungereza (Uganda High Commissioner mu UK) Polof. Joy Kikafunda, abakungu ba Ssaabasajja abalala mu Bungereza omuli Robert Mukiibi (North London), Kasimu Muguluma (South London) wamu ne Rebecca Lubega-Bukulu (Scotland), abalangira n'abambejja, abakulembeze b'enzikiriza ez’enjawulo wamu n’ab’ebitiibwa abalala bangi.
Omukolo guno gusuubirwa okugatta Bannayuganda bangi ddala okuva mu bitundu eby'enjawulo omuli Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham, Coventry, Leeds, Derby, London n’ebitundu ebirala byonna mu Bungereza, Republic of Ireland ne Bulaaya ng’era gutambulira ku mulamwa ogw’okwegatta n’obumu okuyita mu by’obuwangwa.
E Manchester awagenda okubeera emikolo, abatuuze mu kiseera kino bali mu keetalo nga beetegekera empaka z’omwoleso gw’eby’obuwangwa ogwesungiddwa ennyo.
Akulira enteekateeka zino, omukungu Enock Mayanja Kiyaga akubiriza abantu ba Ssaabasajja ne Bannayuganda bonna okwetaba mu mpaka zino ez’okwolesa obuwangwa n’obumu mu Bannayuganda e Manchester ne Bungereza yonna.
Kiyaga agamba nti ku mukolo guno, buli muntu yenna ayanirizibwa okujja okwolesa eby’obuwangwa bwe awatali kusosola mu mawanga, eddiini oba enzikiriza mu by’obufuzi.
Kwo okutendekebwa mu mazina ag’ekinnansi n’ennyimba kwatandika omwezi oguwedde era nga kubeerayo buli Lwakutaano ku kitebe ky’ekibiina ekigatta Bannayuganda mu Manchester (UCOMM) ku Surcon House, Copson Street M20 3HE Withington Manchester era ng’enteekateeka zino zikulirwa James Bateeze ate nga ye Martin Pande y‘atendeka abazinyi b'amazina amasoga.
Bbo abaami abagenda okwetaba mu mpaka z’okuwaata amatooke bawandikiibwa Haji Mustafa Ntambi Ssengo, empaka z’ekigwo gumbya zitegekebwa Haji Rajab Bbosa ate ye Kayemba Edward Kayondo n’ategeka omweso.
Omulangira Ronald Wampamba y’avunaanyizibwa ku mpaka z’abaana okulanya n’okuyimba ekitiibwa kya Buganda, Sheikh Mustafa Ahmed Kawooya y’akola ku mpaka ez’okusika omuguwa, Allan Ssemanda y’awandiisa abaami abaneetaba mu kwolesa ekkanzu n’ebyambalo ebirala eby’ekinnansi, ate Betty Mirembe Jjemba ne Sylvia Bateeze be basunsula abakyala abaneetaba mu mpaka z’okusiba ggomesi n’engoye endala zonna ez’ekinnansi.
Wategekeddwawo n’empaka z’abaana okumanya ebikwata ku bika byabwe n’ennono ezikulemberwa Brenda Ssempasa.
Abalala abali ku kakiiko akateesiteesi kuliko; omuwandiisi Isaac Jakira, Ssaabakunzi Joel Kasagga Nyanzi, Ivan Ssonko Lutaaya, Leilah Batamuliza, Adam Lutaaya, Christopher Boma, Cliffe Ndahiro Kyobe, Juliet Boma, Fauzia Namakula Khalid, Fredrick Mubiru,Nnalongo Ritah Mugabo, Maggwa Paul Kale, Damalie Ssentongo, Rehema Nnabukeera Kawooya, Sarah Mukaaya, Dickson Wasajja, ne Ronald Kamugisha.
Mujje mwenna twetabe mu kujaguza eby’obuwangwa bwaffe, obumu n’okwegatta ate nga bwe tuyiga tusobole okuweesa Nnyaffe Buganda ne Uganda ekitiibwa.
Wangaala ayi Ssaabasajja Kabaka.
Abaganda abamu ku ffe mubika byaffe twagala kumanya Omulangira ki asaanidde okutukulembera mubuzibu Buganda bwelimu obwokufugibwa amawanga amalala obumbula! Bangi ku ffe tukooye kakati emyaka 30. Okuva omwaka 1986 okutuuka omwaka 2015.
Ate nemabega okuva omwaka 1900 amawanga mangi ddala gatufuze nga tulinga abakiriza okubeera bwetutyo. Mujja kutusonyiwa abamu kuffe Abaganda bwetutasobole kujja kubegattako mubiseera bino ebilabika nga birimu ebizibu ebibundabunda enyo munsi nyaffe Buganda.
Essanyu eryomukolo guno nsaba Abaganda banange tulitereke okutuusa ekiseera ekiggya mumaaso.
IN UGANDA: THE ONCOMING NATIONAL ELECTION BOYCOTT 2016
CITIZENS BOYCOTT
Ekibiina kya KY government eno yakiwera kakati emyaka 27. Olunnaku 11/05/2005 omusango guno lwegwatwalibwa mu court ya Uganda. Era empoza yagwo elambikiddwa bulungi kumukutu gwa website: www.kabakayekka.org.uk. Naye no bwotunulira obunafu obuli mukuzimba ensi eno kyeralikiriza buli muntu alabako. Ate no nokuganira mubufuzi okwa NRM kirese okwelalikiriza abantu ba Uganda. Kubanga omulimu gwokukulembera abantu ba Uganda tekibanga kya muntu omu yekka okukikola. Era sikibiina kyabufuzi kimu kyokka bwekiti. Ensi Buganda yafuna obwetwaaze bwebyobufuzi nga 8 October 1962. Uganda nefuna obwayo nga 9 October 1962.
Ensonga zino zagala kuleeta nate entalo ezomuddinganwa wano mu nsi Buganda ate ne munsi ya Uganda yonna. Kubanga entalo za Uganda buli kiseera zibadde zakulwanyisa omufuzi aganidde mukifo kyo bufuzi nebanne batese mubifo ebyobuyinza. Obuzibu buno buleese okufirwa obulamu, ebintu byobulamu nokudda emabega nga ensi nyingi ezitalina ntalo zo zeyongera kugenda mumaaso okwewanirira mumbeera zaazo ezikuma abantu bazo.
Ate no ensi Buganda nga ogase ko nensi endala 12 zezakiriziganya mu 1960 okutondawo omukago gw'ensi ya Uganda. Era ebibiina byobufuzi ebyali bikwatagana nabantu bensi zino mumwoyo omulungi OGWOBUNTU BULAMU nekakati ebimu webiri naye ekya Kabaka Yekka kyo kyawerebwa ekibiina kya UPC eky' Obote. Amin ye ebibiina nabiwera byonna. Kakati M7 okuva lweyajja ebibiina ya biwererawo mangu ago, naye oluvanyuma nakiriza ko ebimu okwewandiisa bimuvuganye.
Ekibiina kya KY kyagezaako okwewadiisa naye nekiganibwa nga website: www.kabakayekka.org.uk. bweraga. Olupapula lwa Monitor ne mpapula endala nyingi zilaga bulungi ebibadde bikolebwa mu bufuge bwe bibiina bino mumyaka gyonna kasokedde M7 awamba bufuzi bwa Uganda ate era ne Buganda mu mwaka 1986.
Ebyenfuna, amalwaliro, ebyokusoma nebirala bingi nyo governmenti byetekwa okukolera abantu bensi tebikoleddwa bulungi ate nga emyaka 27 mingi nyo ddala governmenti okubako ekyamanyi kyeyinza okukolelamu emirimu gyayo abantu bensi nebasiima. Omuntu yenna omulamu ebiro bino 2014 yelabirako ye kenyini ekibiina kya NRM bwekibadde kyeyisa nga kiri mubufuzi bwa Uganda. Ekibiina kya Kabaka Yekka kisaba abatuuze bonna aba Uganda ebiseera bino belowooze nyo kuntegeka zabwe ezitwala ensi ya Uganda mumaaso. Era okwetaba mu kulonda kwa National Resistance Movement okukolebwa buli myaka 5 kyongera kulwaza ensi eno obulwadde bwebyobufuzi obulabika nga tebujja kuggwawo. Okulekerawo okwetaba mukulonda kuno kyekisanidde eri buli mutuuze ali mu ggwangga lino. Era entegeka weri okulaba nga buli Muganda yenna abeera musirikale eri munne okulaba nga ensi teyetaba mukulonda kuno okujja mu mwaka 2016.
Ensi endala ezakola Uganda kizikakatako okugoberera ensi Buganda mukugana okwetaba mukulonda kuno okujja. Ebibiina byobufuzi mu Uganda ebyawandiikibwa ekibiina kya NRM byo birina endagaano nakyo okwetaba mu kulonda kuno era byamala dda okukuba ekirayiro okukuuma Ssematteeka wa NRM afuga ensi eno.
Nze Muganda Wammwe,
Mbuga Elamula,
Secretary General
Mukibiina kya Kabaka Yekka Political Organization.
A brief English translation:
CITIZENS ELECTION BOYCOTT
The traditional political party of Kabaka Yekka is effectively banned in the country of Uganda. The court case for the party to try and defend itself took place on 11/05/2005 at Kampala, Uganda. The details of this case are well outlined in legal form on the website kabakayekka.org.uk.
The political party of NRM has done all it can to entrench itself in power and cannot hope to run and develop this country without the cooperation of the rest of the citizens of this country that might have a different political opinion from theirs. The country of Buganda which is the political base of this political party got its political independence before it joined the rest of the neighbouring provinces to make up the general independence of the country of Uganda. Lack of state respect for such an international agreement and obligation continue to cause incessant civil wars where people's lives and property are destroyed on a very large scale. Indeed countries that have no civil wars have a very high standard of development in this modern world.
There are 12 African tribal states that made up the country of Uganda during the 1960s. The political parties that organized this international agreement are still in existance apart from the party of Kabaka Yekka. The government of President Obote banned the party of Kabaka Yekka. The government of President Idi Amin ruled by decree. When President Museveni came to power in 1986, he banned all these parties until these political parties came to an agreement to work with the NRM regime for their survival to be guaranteed. The party of Kabaka Yekka was refused this political opportunity to associate in the business of running this country.
Every citizen of the country of Buganda and Uganda is well aware of the immense government inefficiencies the political party of the NRM has made in trying to develop this country. Lots of public publications have been printed out about this problem. The poor condition of the hospitals and the education system is an immediate social problem that concerns our lives. There are indeed many reasons why every citizen in the country of Buganda must not continue to participate in the general elections the NRM regime keeps putting up as a show of democracy to the international communities. After these incessant rigged elections this government rules the people of this country under the tyranny of NRM rule now 29 years. The political party of Kabaka Yekka advises all the citizens of the country of Buganda this time round not to associate and participate in the coming national general election scheduled to be exercised in the year 2016.
Unfortunately for the many political parties that are registered under the banner of this regime these parties have an obligation to keep to their side of the political bargain they have made with the NRM tyrannical rule.
For the tribal African states with their citizens, they have the advice and option to follow the political position of the state of Buganda and its citizens.
Yours faithfully,
Mbuga Elamula
General Secretary
Kabaka Yekka Political Party.
In Uganda the EC boss warns Besigye on defiance campaign as the 2016 General Election gets near again:
By Albert Tumwine
Posted Thursday, November 26 2015
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Electoral Commission (EC) chairman Badru Kiggundu has directed Dr Kizza Besigye to stop his “campaign of defiance,” saying its tantamount to inciting violence during the election period.
Speaking to journalists at the EC headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr Kiggundu said if Dr Besigye doesn’t heed the EC’s directive, he will face the wrath of the law. Dr Besigye has repeatedly on his campaign trail said the election will be won “not by compliance but by defiance.” He has also vowed not to go to court if there is vote-rigging, saying this will be sorted using people power.
This has, however, attracted condemnation from the EC. “The commission has noted with concern the consistent calls by candidate Kizza Besigye for defiance as a campaign strategy. This kind of campaign is likely to have serious impact on the conduct of peaceful campaigns and elections,” said Dr Kiggundu.
When the EC boss was put to task on what action will be taken if Dr Besigye doesn’t stop his campaign of defiance, Dr Kiggundu said; “This is an activity guided by the law, I warn you once, twice; the next time don’t blame me, that can’t go on forever. You will be here and we will communicate the action.”
But FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the campaign will continue. “What Dr Besigye is doing is prepare people to rise up in case they steal the election like they have always done,” said Mr Ssemujju, who is also the Kyadondo East MP.
“Unless Kiggundu is preparing to steal the election, he shouldn’t be bothered by Dr Besigye’s message. “Does he want people to go to Rubaga and Namirembe (cathedrals) and Kibuli (mosque) to pray after the election has been stolen?”
"I was misled into funding 2011 polls," regrets the long serving Governor of the Bank of Uganda:
Bank of Uganda governor Tumusiime-Mutebile.
PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA
By Isaac Imaka & Stephen Otage
Posted Thursday, November 13 2014
The governor’s comments came after participants at the conference asked him to explain why the country suffered unprecedented inflation levels in 2011 just after the general elections.
Kampala- Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile has said he was misled by the government into indirectly financing electioneering activities in 2011, an action which plunged the country’s economy into chaos.
While addressing the 10th annual meeting of the African Science Academies at the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel on Tuesday morning, Mr Mutebile said although the Central Bank did not directly print money for the elections, there were indirect expenditures by the government into areas that were not transparent.
“I can assure you that the Central Bank did not directly print this money but where government expenditure is directed to areas that are not completely transparent, I cannot determine how much of the money I have created ended up in political electioneering,” he said.
The governor’s comments came after participants at the conference asked him to explain why the country suffered unprecedented inflation levels in 2011 just after the general elections. Mr Mutebile said the money was passed on to government through treasury bills but vowed that he would never do this again.
“You should remember that the economy of this country was thrown into total chaos after the last elections allegedly because central bank had printed a lot of money to finance the elections,” he said.
He added: “I was there as central bank governor. I didn’t participate whatsoever but because there was some spending by government dependent on treasury bills which I was issuing, “I was financing government indirectly. But since we understood that, we have never done it again and I will not do it this time.”
He quickly added that, “I have never accepted an order from President Museveni where that order was inconsistent with my duties. Never!”
Deputy NRM party spokesman Ofwono Opondo questioned the governor’s sense of professionalism and also asks if he was placed at gunpoint to accept to do what he knew was wrong.
He also said Mr Mutebile could not have funded NRM because it is not a company that can buy treasury bills.
Mr Opondo, who is also the Media Centre executive director, said: “He should not shift his incompetence to NRM or government as a whole. What I know is that the elections were funded by government 100 per cent and it was through a process of budgeting.”
Gavumenti ya Republic ya Uganda yakuddiza Obwakabaka bwa Buganda ebyapa bye ttaka ebyayo 82:
Kampala, Buganda State
Jun 29, 2015
KATIKKIRO Charles Peter Mayiga alangiridde ng’olunaku lw’enkya nga 1st July 2015, gavumenti eyawakati bwegenda okukwasa Obwakabaka bwa Buganda ebyapa ebirala 82 wamu n’emmotoka ya Ssekabaka Muteesa II ey’ekika kya Rolls Royce ng’omukolo guno gugenda kubeera mu maka g’obwapulezidenti Entebbe.
Mu April 2014 Pulezidenti Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yakwasa Buganda ebyapa by’ebifo 213 nga kino kiva ku ndagaano eyatuukibwako wakati wa Kabaka ne Museveni nga August 1,2013 okukomyawo ebintu bya Buganda ebyanyagibwa gavumenti ye yali Pulezidenti wa Uganda Milton Obote mu 1966.
Bino abyogeredde mu Lukiiko lwa Buganda olw’omulundi ogwa 22 mu Lutuula lwaalwo olw’okutaano nga lukubirizibwa Sipiika Nelson Kawalya nagamba nti Kabaka yaweze ababadde basamirira mu masiro e Kasubi.
Mu ngeri y’emu Omuwanika wa Buganda Eve Nagawa Mukasa ayanjudde embalirira y’Obwakabaka eya 2015/2016 nga yakuwementa obuwumbi munana.g.nationmedia.com
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