By the time the country was attacked by the current Coronavirus crisis, preparations for next year’s general elections were in high gear with over thirty aspirants having notified the electoral Commission of their intentions to challenge for the country’s Presidency. Among those that had asked for the EC’s permission to reach out to the voters for consultations were, notably, former security Minister Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde – who has since been held on treason charges, Bobi Wine of the People Power Movement, among others.
The current impasse caused by the contagious Coronavirus that has affected the world in all spheres of life has however caused a wide spread uncertainty over the prospect of conducting the elections which were slated for early next year, with some people calling for a two years postponement of the electoral program, others calling for a complete withdrawal until 2026, which according to them would have given the country time to heal from the appalling impacts of the disease on the economic and social lives of it’s people.
By conduct however, President Yoweri Museveni has clearly demonstrated that postponing next year’s polls is not something in his plans. He has consistently dodged Parliament by trying his best in keeping them on the sidelines as far as discussing the pandemic situation is concerned.
According to Mr. Kirunda Faruk, who is one the President’s handlers on media management, government is not thinking about postponing the 2021 polls and all they are doing is pray so that situation normalises in time for the Electoral Commission to proceed with the electioneering program. He adds that President Museveni has tried to stand his ground by moving against declaring a state of emergency over the epidemic despite pressure from some members of the legislature.
“The president will not declare a state of emergency because it is clearly evident that his that his efforts in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic depicts that he is already in complete control. That’s why he has already received praise globally as the President whose methods of handling the situation has been noteworthy. The pressure is coming from MPs whose representation has been unsatisfactory and thus they are scared of facing the electorates, believing that an extension would grant then some relief,” says Kirunda in a telephone interview with this website yesterday.
FDC’s Proscovia Salamu Musumba however doesn’t seem to concur with Kirunda on conducting elections next year as she feels the lives of Ugandans are far more important than elections.
According to her, there should not be any hurry to conduct elections under circumstances that will expose people to the risk of death. She proposes a political dialogue over the issue where the different political parties can discuss the idea of having the polls wait for a considerable period as the country heals before the issue of elections can be considered again.
“Ugandans, let’s get serious, what’s there to push for elections under the current situation? Elections have been there and they will always be there but I think public safety should be held Paramount. I think there are list of other alternatives we can use to discuss possible solutions should there be no elections, ” Musumba told this website.
She suggested that the political party Union of IPOD could be used to engage the various stakeholders on how to brainstorm on how the country could be ran in the event that there are no elections conducted by 2021 when the current political mandates will have expired.
Should elections be held shortly after the country has achieved tremendously in the fight against Coronavirus, President Museveni will most likely be the biggest beneficiary as it would certainly give him valuable points to use in support of him being the most able leader to continue guiding the nation with confidence that he is still able to shield the country even in catastrophic times.
To Mr John Francis Okecho, the administrative secretary of the NRM Entrepreneur’s League, the efficient handling of the pandemic has certainly given Museveni an edge over his political opponents should polls he held at the aftermath of the pandemic.
Okecho further analyses that if elections were to be held next year, President Museveni and his NRM party remains the only group with the ability to financially manage the campaign exercise with little or no strain at all.
He says that since the west has equally been hurt, where most of the opposition funders come from, the opposition to Museveni risk running a cashless campaign.
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