OWEYEGHA AFUNADUULA: EC should publish in media names of its officials who want to steal Museveni’s votes

The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has for many years released and published O-level and A-Level results. These have been published in newspapers. When the names of some candidates are missing, the affected candidates get the opportunity to seek clarification from UNEB.

The President of Uganda, Tibuhaburwa Museveni, during his End of Year Address, expressed fear that the Electoral Commission may connive with criminals (Opposition) to steal elections.

It is of course surprising that the President wants to cause Ugandans to believe that the Electoral Commission.(EC), instead of organising elections fairly, steals elections.

In the past the Electoral Commission has been accused by the Opposition of stealing elections for President Museveni and the ruling Party. The Courts of Law ruled in the cases of Kiiza Besigye and Amama Mbabazi that there were irregularities in elections that favoured President Museveni. But the President is now saying the Opposition is going to use the EC to steal elections.

If it is true the EC is plotting to steal elections for the Opposition using its registrars and returning officers, who are these registrars and returning officers? Can the EC emulate UNEB so that their names are published in the papers?

There have been claims that the majority of registrars and returning officers have in the past come from one small part of the country and that this has often favoured the President and his Party. If their names are published we shall know that what has been claimed is not true, or that the majority these people now come from places likely to vote the President and his Party, but because of their being unrepresentative they will manipulate results against the President and his Party.

There is time to publish the names of the people. It should be done before ballot boxes and ballot papers are taken to the polling stations. Otherwise confidence in the electoral process will plummet further.