• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Why postponing 2021 elections won’t be an easy task for President Museveni

Elisha Z. Bwanika by Elisha Z. Bwanika
5 years ago
in News, Politics
24 1
ShareTweetSendShare

President Yoweri Museveni has described the insistence by some Ugandans to hold the 2021 general elections despite the Covid19 scare as an act of insanity and a symbol of lack of wisdom.

Since Museveni started issuing measures aimed at combating the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, some Ugandans have been wondering if elections will be postponed or held in time as planned for early 2021. From banning political meetings to declaring a lockdown, chances of holding polls have been reducing although the Electoral Commission (EC) has insisted it would not push the elections forward because the law didn’t allow that.

But Museveni has now made it clear that it would be reckless to allow people to converge at polling stations under the current circumstances since such an action but many at risk of contracting Covid19 and spreading it to their communities.

“It will be madness to say, ‘You go and [vote], for people to gather, I don’t think it will be wise,” said Museveni.

Speaking during the second National Prayers on Covid19 at State House Entebbe, Museveni said his government’s “strategy is to limit the number of Covid19 positive cases to a manageable one; prohibit its spread, as we wait for the vaccine.”

In his earlier address delivered on May 04, Museveni said it would be disastrous to open up areas of mass concentration such as school and gatherings. He even said schools could be closed for a term or even a year.

But democracy activists like former Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) Coordinator National Coordinator Crispin Kaheru have argued that is no need of postponing elections.

“Practically, let the election stakeholders review their plans with a view of recovering the time lost due to the Covid-19 disruption – and plan to go to the polls in January/February 2021,” wrote Kaheru in a recent opinion published by The Daily Monitor.

Kaheru argued that Museveni should have no excuse to postpone the elections since countries with higher Covid19 cases had held elections recently. He gave an example of South Korea which held legislative elections in April which even had the highest voter turn-out since 1992. Describing any move by Museveni to postpone next year’s elections as “contradictory”, Kaheru urged the EC and government at large to draw lessons from South Korea regarding elections during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Election administrators emphasized health and safety measures, including social distancing. Political campaigns were conducted virtually via media (radio, TV, social media, internet) – and they turned out cheaper and more serene. Voters and polling officials had to wear masks and gloves. Polling stations had hand-washing facilities alongside temperature guns to measure body temperatures of voters,” noted Kaheru.

“Of course, South Korea is not Uganda in any way, but the rate of Covid-19 infections in Uganda at the moment is far less than what it was when South Korea went to the polls. Therefore, what Uganda needs is probably not postponing the election, but rather integrating health and safety measures in its electoral framework.”

Interestingly, Kaheru’s argument was supported by Gender, Labour and Social Development Minister Frank Tumwebaze, who said: “I agree with you Crispin Kaheru. Covid19 disruptions notwithstanding, we can still hold the 2021 general elections. We can discuss and agree on reasonable SOPs to guide the electioneering process. Talking of postponement is being far-fetched.”

But opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party vice president for Eastern Uganda Salamu Musumba recently told Watchdog Uganda that there was no need to rush to hold elections while putting the lives of Ugandans at risk.

“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,” said Musumba.

Besides, his description of the idea of 2021 elections as madness, Museveni also called those who think he is using Covid19 to gain political capital and suffocate his political opponents fools who speak nonsense.

“Who could wish for this so that I speak and become popular? [That is] rubbish! Idiots!” the president said.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share5Tweet3SendShare

Related Posts

News

NRM youths once again beat NUP with 90% victory in Kassanda district, MPs Kabuye, Nsamba fear for their seats

8th July 2025 at 11:13
News

Reason Over Regulation: President Yoweri Museveni Urges Ugandans to Embrace Science and Reason in Natural Resources Management

8th July 2025 at 09:15
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala
Business

Why Sudhir Ruparelia is Ahead of John Bosco Muwonge in the Class of Billionaires

8th July 2025 at 00:42
Next Post

Eddy Kenzo: The truth hurts but Sheila Gashumba is right, TV presenters are poorly paid 

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1118 shares
    Share 447 Tweet 280
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    45 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 11
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2287 shares
    Share 915 Tweet 572
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    29 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 7
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

NRM youths once again beat NUP with 90% victory in Kassanda district, MPs Kabuye, Nsamba fear for their seats

8th July 2025 at 11:13

Reason Over Regulation: President Yoweri Museveni Urges Ugandans to Embrace Science and Reason in Natural Resources Management

8th July 2025 at 09:15

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

NRM youths once again beat NUP with 90% victory in Kassanda district, MPs Kabuye, Nsamba fear for their seats

8th July 2025 at 11:13

Reason Over Regulation: President Yoweri Museveni Urges Ugandans to Embrace Science and Reason in Natural Resources Management

8th July 2025 at 09:15

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda