The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) stated that it is in their and the public’s interest to “demand the long-awaited report on what transpired in the Bukedea by-election in 2023.”
Stephen Omagor, an aspirant for Bukedea district LC5 chairperson, was assaulted on June 6, 2023, amid earlier allegations of electoral violence and human rights violations.
The Electoral Commission condemned the act in a statement released on June 8.
Since the return of multiparty politics to Uganda two decades ago, the country has experienced a high level of electoral violence, as well as numerous reports of vote bribery and ballot stuffing.
Opposition political parties and candidates continue to accuse those in the ruling government of electoral violence, while the ruling government points fingers at those who oppose them.
For example, while President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressed strong concerns in his letter about the Bukedea LC5 by-election, which was marred by vote rigging and violence, no substantial report based on evidence has ever been made public.
Almost three years later, the UPC is still waiting for a report, having also condemned what happened during the Kawempe North MP by-election.
“…in his (President Museveni’s) communication regarding the Kawempe North by-election, that “ballot stuffing has been going on since 1961,” the UPC stated on March 19.
“This is not a record the British government would like to share. Neither is it a record the pioneers of modern Nationalism, Pan-Africanism and Internationalism in Uganda would like to be associated with! This record should be put straight.
Speaking on behalf of the UPC, Arach Oyat Sharon, spokeperson, saluted post-independence political parties like Uganda National Congress (UNC), Democratic Party (DP), Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), Uganda Hereditary Chieftainship Party (UHCP), Uganda African Union (UAU), Bataka Party of Busoga, and Kabaka Yekka (KY).
The above, she said, were involved indirectly. “And to all those nationalists who participated in the decolonisation and independence struggle and stood in our elections of 1958, 1961 and 1962 respectively, whose victory was imbedded in annals of history on 9th October 1962 to make Uganda, East Africa, Africa and rest of the world very proud.”
They managed to participate in a multi-party political process that did not demand heavy military deployment as witnessed in by-elections of Kawempe North Constituency, Dokolo, Oyam North, Soroti, Bukedea and Kayunga, among others.
“UPC would like to bring it to the public attention that practical political solutions that enhance national integration and nation building should not be seen in the context of the statement that “leaders do not concentrate on solving people’s problems because they know they can cheat and be in power whether the other people support them or not.
“In this spirit of solving people’s problems, Dr. Apolo Milton Obote and UPC led government-built hospitals, clinics, schools, factories/industries, roads, extension of railway line from Soroti – Pakwach, valley dams, extension of piped water, bore holes among other as deliberate and well-planned projects to improve the welfare of our people.”
She added that both Nalukolongo and Kawempe were evolving as light industrial areas with a number of job opportunities, giving hope to people especially the youth.
“Today as Kawempe is lagging behind, the original focus of a light industrial area has been lost and there is massive unemployment, discontent or despair across the country.
“Uganda and the 10th December 1980 elections benefited a lot from the role of international observers. It is worth to appreciate the author of foreign observers in Uganda, our founding father H. E. Dr. Apolo Milton Obote who clearly pronounced himself on arrival at Ishaka – Bushenyi on 27th May 1980 from exile in Dar es salaam, Tanzania: “I have no objection and indeed recommend to people responsible for organising the elections to invite official observers from commonwealth and Organisation of African Union (OAU) countries to observe the fairness of the elections.”
The commonwealth final observers report validated the electoral process of 1980 as free and fair.
Unlike in the by-elections of Kawempe North constituency where candidates were attacked by military immediately after being nominated, UPC condemned deliberate attack on members of the fourth estate (journalists) by security forces which left many badly maimed, severely injured and still hospitalized in different hospitals.
“This is not what the country should be experiencing after nearly 40 years in power by NRM/A since 1986,” Arach stated. “The hard and bitter lessons from Kawempe North by-election speaks volumes, that whatever amount of force deployed, may not change the mind of a determined voter.”
UPC notes clearly that this experience is starting to spread and gain momentum. “For the good of Uganda and her democratic journey of governance, all the proposed electoral and constitutional reforms should be implemented immediately as the country moves towards achieving “the Uganda we want that serves everyone”.
According to the UPC, what happened in Kawempe North by-election on March 13, 2025, is a precursor to 2026, which should be discouraged at all costs.
“UPC reiterates its call that the army should be completely removed from our electoral processes and only maintain police whose main role is to keep law and order, with specified clear roles in elections under the control of Independent Electoral Commission.”
“Therefore, no one should interfere with electoral processes as we prepare for 2025/2026,” UPC’s Arach concluded.
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