By Stephen Kalema
The former leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winnie Kiiza has termed as ‘a betrayal’ plans by the Electoral Commission (EC) to launch 2021 general presidential election roadmap.
The EC is expected to launch the roadmap despite unsettled election reforms as ordered by the Supreme Court.
On March 30, 2016, the Supreme Court made a ruling on the Presidential Election Petition No.1 of 2016 (Amama Mbabazi v Museveni&Others) and acknowledged electoral reforms as a requirement if free and fair elections are to held in Uganda.
During the said ruling, the Attorney General (by then William Byaruhanga) was tasked to follow up the recommendations by the Court with other organs of the State; Parliament and the Executive and amend the reforms.
Court asked Byaruhanga report back in two years’ time.
According to ruling, the grace period to return to the Supreme Court given to the Attorney General expired in August.
Yet from reliable sources Watchdog has learnt that the EC is to launch the road-map for 2021 general elections in the second week of December. This would be the third time EC repeatedly ignores Supreme Court directives.
According to a Citizen’s Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) report, the Supreme Court Justices recognized that from previous electoral petitions (10 years) Supreme Court has been making recommendations to improve electoral processes but government has not adhered.
Supreme Court made 10 reforms in the area of elections generally and Presidential elections in particular. For example on ‘Unequal use of state owned media’, court recommended that electoral law be amended to provide for sanctions against any state organ or officer who violates constitutional duty.
“Issues that were raised by the court during the petition of Hon Amama Mbabazi have not been considered by government. Therefore, we feel that it’s a betrayal and denial of justice by the Electoral Commission to go ahead and begin processes of displaying 2021 election road- map before government necessarily answers the question to the Ugandans,” Kiiza said on Wednesday.
According to Kiiza, for the government to allow EC to go ahead with the road-map of 2021 election, is sign of disrespect to the requests of the Supreme Court and a plan to curtail other political players from enjoying the democracy at a leveled ground
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