MICHAEL ABONEKA: We must de-militarize our elections

Elections are a right of the citizens of Uganda as enjoined by Article 59 which stems from regional and international human rights regimes on political participation. Elections are a civic exercise which warrants manning by civic agencies. We have seen heavy involvement of the military and other security agencies such as JAT in the past elections and more recently the Kawempe North by-elections.

There are many answered questions with the heavy deployment of the military. Who is in charge of an election, the Electoral Commission or the army? Who determines the need for deployment? Did the Uganda police invite the military to Kawempe North because they were overwhelmed? What was the threat warranting the deployment?

What are the standard operating procedures that the military must follow while manning a civic activity? The military was violent leaving journalists and Ugandans nursing wounds. Were those maimed, beaten and injured terrorists? What were the reasons for the excessive use of force in a civic exercise? Where do those with queries, complaints and issues against the military report?

An election is not an event, but a process. It doesn’t matter that there is a winner in Kawempe North, but the process leading to the same. The heavy deployment of the army in an election strips it of being free and fair as it is marred with intimidation, fear and violence.

There is a need for the Uganda Police Force and all concerned to answer the above questions and perhaps legal action taken against all the heads of the security agencies. We cannot, in a democratic state have excesses by the army and life goes on as usual. We need to safeguard our will which is to determine who and how we shall be governed without any intimidation from third parties.

We need to have in place an independent civilian oversight body to deal with the discipline and issues involving the army and the police and countries such as Kenya and South Africa are good case studies. We must, at all cost avoid the Kawempe North, Kampala November 2020 situations in the upcoming 2026 general elections.