How by-elections are stolen 

In the turbulent political landscape of Uganda, elections have become synonymous with chaos and violence.

For the past five election cycles, the country has been marred by incidents of vote rigging, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, physical assaults, and imprisonment of opposition politicians and their supporters.

The scars of these brutal encounters are etched on the bodies and souls of prominent figures such as Dr Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, the former presidential candidate, Harriet Nakweede, Kampala City Mayor Erias Lukwago, and numerous other politicians.

Each of these political contenders has their own harrowing tale to tell, recounting instances of brutality and violence inflicted upon them by the ruling party during various election campaigns. Dr Kizza Besigye, in his relentless pursuit of the presidency, has endured pepper spray attacks, gunshot wounds to the arm, and severe detentions on charges of terrorism.

Patrick Amuriat, another opposition leader, even appeared on the nomination day without shoes, a symbolic gesture highlighting the struggle they face. Bobi Wine, too, experienced a horrific ordeal when he was mercilessly beaten during the Arua by-election.

Opposition leaders who bravely shared their experiences with The Observer spoke of the violence, arrests, and intimidations inflicted upon them by state operatives and the ruling party, National Resistance Movement (NRM). They lamented that the recent elections marked the first time that the NRM and President Yoweri Museveni openly acknowledged their involvement in vote rigging, bribery, and election-related violence.

Such coercion and intimidation tactics have sadly become commonplace in the country’s electoral landscape.

SURPRISE TURN OF EVENTS

In a surprising turn of events, President Museveni addressed the issue of vote bribery and rigging on June 26, 2023. He directed Brig Gen Henry Isoke, the head of the State House Uganda Anti-Corruption Unit, to investigate the criminality surrounding the Bukedea district LCV by-election held on June 14, 2023.

The election was won by the NRM candidate Mary Akol, but Museveni received troubling information that shed light on the corrupt practices that had taken place. According to Museveni, government officials had allegedly invaded the home of Stephen Omagor, confiscating his academic papers and stealing a substantial sum of Shs 163 million from him.

These actions were taken to prevent him from being nominated the following morning. Museveni further revealed that during the nomination process, Omagor was attacked at the gate of the Electoral Commission. On the day of the election, government officials purportedly invaded polling stations and cast votes on behalf of the voters, a surreal scene straight out of a movie.

How by-elections are stolen Expressing concern for the future of Uganda, Museveni emphasized the importance of avoiding a return to the chaos and crimes of the 1980s, which had led to his own rebellion and ascent to power. He called for a thorough investigation into the allegations, urging action to be taken against any perpetrators of criminality.

Museveni’s directive was clear – he tasked the Anti-Corruption Unit to handle these criminals and report back with their findings.

“I have got some disturbing information about the recent by-election in Bukedea for LCV Chairperson where our NRM candidate won with 91% and the voter turn-out was 87%. I was happy for my party to perform well. However, I am now getting information that the Government officials on the night of the nomination, invaded the house of Omagor Stephen and confiscated his academic papers and stole Shs 163 million from him so that he could not be nominated the following morning,” Museveni said in the letter.

In response to the president’s call for action, the Anti-Corruption Unit and police swiftly apprehended and charged five police officers attached to Bukedea. They were charged with aggravated robbery and subsequently remanded until July 27, 2023. Additionally, the Councilor Bukedea town, Dan Malinga, was also arrested and brought before the Bukedea Magistrate court on allegations of mobilizing and leading a group of assailants who assaulted and robbed Omagor.

As the wheels of justice began to turn, the fate of those involved in the criminal acts surrounding the Bukedea by-election remained uncertain. The nation held its breath, waiting to see if this investigation would mark a turning point in Uganda’s electoral landscape, ushering in a new era of accountability and transparency.

Only time will reveal whether these actions were mere lip service or the first steps toward meaningful change in the country’s political arena. The recent by-elections in Uganda have been marked by violence and controversy, painting a grim picture of the country’s political landscape.

In December 2021, Harriet Nakweede, a candidate from the National Unity Platform (NUP), was brutally assaulted during the Kayunga by-election. The violence escalated further as ballot boxes stuffed with pre-ticked ballots were discovered at various polling stations in Kyato-Mwoloola, Nakyesanja, and Seeta-Nyiize.

The Omoro by-election in May 2022 witnessed the arrest of 62 polling agents from the NUP out of the total 84 polling stations. Opposition leader Bobi Wine claimed that voters were bribed with money, salt, and sugar, while agents of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) moved freely with pre-ticked ballot papers in unmarked vehicles.

The Kasese by-election in August 2022 saw the military taking control of polling stations and reportedly filling numerous ballots in favor of the NRM candidate, Thembo Gideon Mujungu. Similarly, the Pallisa by-election witnessed the intimidation and coercion of the NUP candidate, Joseph Okoboi Opolot, forcing him to withdraw from the race.

In the Soroti by-election in July 2022, several opposition leaders were arrested and expelled from the city. The NRM allegedly distributed pre-ticked ballot papers under the watchful eye of Electoral Commission chairman Justice Byabakama. When citizens protested against these irregularities, they were met with swift arrests and violence.

The Bukimbiri by-election in Kisoro in August 2022 saw the arrest of opposition polling agents, who were then driven away in unmarked vehicles, while voters faced physical assault.

Amidst these troubling events, the chairperson of the NRM party Electoral Commission, Dr Tanga Odoi, has been accused of spearheading vote rigging, bribery, and the arrest of opposition agents. The recent Oyam district by-election prompted accusations against Odoi, with Jimmy Akena, the president of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), accusing him of theft after Odoi declared that the UPC candidate would lose.

Akena claimed that they apprehended two NRM agents with pre-ticked ballot papers during the Oyam by-election. He further highlighted how their campaign equipment, including motorcycles, had been confiscated on the eve of the election.

Tanga Odoi defended himself against the accusations, stating that the blame was wrongly placed on him. He pointed out that the individuals involved in the Oyam by-election scandal were staff from the NRM secretariat who were not part of the voter protection team assigned by him.

He expressed his disappointment with the situation and pledged to write a letter to the NRM secretary general, Richard Todwong, to address the incident and clear his name.

Tanga said; “It is alleged that people who caused the last scam in Oyam by-election are staff of the NRM secretariat who are not supposed to be members of the voter protection team…but at the end tail the blame is put on me.”

“That crowd would have lynched me if I did not stand alone. I had a one-man army and I fought it all using English. I told them to their face that nobody will intimidate me to take the wrongs of other people. I also want clarity on who deployed secretariat staff to do mayhem in Oyam when we had done our work clean. I want the party to come clean and make a general statement which must also clear my name because when we travel, they don’t travel, don’t hear insults people throw at me because of activities of one or two boys,” Odoi said.

Opposition leaders, including Bobi Wine, reacted strongly to President Museveni’s recent letter addressing vote rigging and the quality of elections. Bobi Wine highlighted Museveni’s hypocrisy, citing the numerous crimes committed by the president and his supporters during the 2021 elections. He accused Museveni of murder, abduction, torture, and the suppression of campaigns, among other electoral crimes. Furthermore, he criticized Museveni’s age and his continuous lies.

IRRELEVANT CONFESSION

Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda also questioned the authenticity of Museveni’s letter, stating that election rigging has been a long-standing issue under Museveni’s rule. He emphasized that the deployment of soldiers and police to intimidate, arrest, and harass opposition members has been a recurring practice.

Nganda further noted that Museveni’s confession was irrelevant, as the actions of the ruling party were well-known. The NRM secretariat weighed in on the matter, denying any party involvement in rigging elections and condemning such acts.

The secretary general of NRM, Richard Twodong, asserted that the NRM does not participate in such activities, but acknowledged that various players in elections, including supporters of candidates, can engage in illicit actions.

Emmanuel Dombo, the director of Information and Publicity at NRM, defended President Museveni’s letter, stating that it was based on credible information and emphasized the party’s commitment to credible leadership. Dombo pointed out instances of election violence committed by various parties, highlighting that the abuse of power was not exclusive to the NRM.

As the dust settles on these recent by-elections, Uganda is left grappling with the lingering effects of violence, vote rigging, and electoral irregularities. The path towards a fair and transparent electoral process remains uncertain, leaving the future of democracy in the country hanging in the balance.