• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Lifestyle
Opinion: Here is why the opposition is taking part in elections they expect to lose

Opinion: Here is why the opposition is taking part in elections they expect to lose

July 1, 2019
Joy Kabatsi tipped to become board chairperson Uganda Railways Corporation

Joy Kabatsi tipped to become board chairperson Uganda Railways Corporation

August 14, 2022
Kenya elections 2022: Raila Odinga and William Ruto in tight presidential race

Kenya elections 2022: Raila Odinga and William Ruto in tight presidential race

August 14, 2022
Author Rushdie survives stabbing to neck, but could lose eye

Author Rushdie survives stabbing to neck, but could lose eye

August 14, 2022
Thrones’ three-year anniversary celebration ends on a high note

Thrones’ three-year anniversary celebration ends on a high note

August 14, 2022
NUP calls for justice as it prays for those who died in Arua debacle

NUP calls for justice as it prays for those who died in Arua debacle

August 14, 2022
Rocket Health opens clinic in Gayaza

Rocket Health opens clinic in Gayaza

August 14, 2022
Minister Baryomunsi camps in Busongora south to campaign for NRM candidate

Minister Baryomunsi camps in Busongora south to campaign for NRM candidate

August 14, 2022
Nigerian official claims snake “ate” Shs 360 million

Drama as snake invades Parliament

August 14, 2022
Balaam did not register People Power, wants Shs1b from person who started rumour

Events promoter Balaam gives in to pressure, withdraws from Mbale event

August 13, 2022
“I was joking, I am sorry,” Gravity Omutujju apologises for comments on violence against women

“I was joking, I am sorry,” Gravity Omutujju apologises for comments on violence against women

August 13, 2022
Logo
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Ask the Mechanic
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
No Result
View All Result
Logo
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinions

Opinion: Here is why the opposition is taking part in elections they expect to lose

Amon Katungulu by Amon Katungulu
July 1, 2019
in Opinions
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Opinion: Here is why the opposition is taking part in elections they expect to lose

By Nyanjura Doreen

The author Doreen Nyanjura

For a political ballot to be valid, three absolute conditions must exist. First the vote should be free, second the voter should have information to enable them make informed choices, and third, the figure should be accurate.

Electoral reforms would therefore be aimed at creating the above conditions so that the outcome of elections reflect the will of the people by removing institutional bottlenecks to organizing free and fair elections.

AD-03 AD-03 AD-03
ADVERTISEMENT

What is the problem with Uganda’s elections?

The opposition knows that NRM does not believe in the right of Ugandans to choose their leaders and decide the nation’s policy direction at the polls. We have heard Mr. Museveni on many occasions say that Uganda is his garden so nobody can chase him. He also says, that he hunted his animal and now that he is enjoying his meat people are telling him to go away and as a result often reminds Ugandans that he is a quarter pin who came to power by force and a mere piece of paper cannot remove him. These cannot be statements of someone willing to submit to the will of the people at elections. Need I remind you that, after the 1996 elections Museveni said that if Ssemogerere had won, he would have gone back to the bush!

ADVERTISEMENT

Therefore even when the electoral law is perfect, the will to respect the will of the people is simply lacking; reason why government is dragging its feet on tabling the electoral reform bill.

So why does NRM organize elections?

Elections help government to get an impression of legitimacy. A significant number of such leaders love posturing as being legitimate and popular among citizens.

‘’Elections’’ help them feed their vain imagination that they are leaders by the grace of God and by the general will of the people, that is why they pay people to attend their rallies.

Second, such processes act as a pressure valve where dissatisfied citizens let off steam after every five years with their ‘’at least I did not vote for him, he will rule me without my consent.’’ He indeed goes on to rule without the consent of the people.

Let us assume the electoral reforms will be tabled ‘on time’. What will they change?

1. Police will still prevent the opposition from gathering to explain their programs.

2. The opposition will still be prevented from accessing radio stations especially in rural areas. Those stations that host them will be switched off and media houses will be asked to expel journalists deemed to be giving favorable coverage to the opposition.

The above two will negate the second absolute requirement that voters should have access to information to make informed choices.

3. Violence will be meted out against the opposition and the regime will bribe poor voters to influence their voting thus negating the first principle that the vote must be free.

4. The counting and tallying of votes will be done by the regime’s henchmen who will fix the outcome in favor of the regime. Opposition offices will still be raided to confiscate the declaration of Declaration forms to prevent the truth from coming out. Thus negating the third principle.

When disaffected candidates challenge the outcome in courts, the Supreme Court judges will say, ‘’although there was rigging, although there was none compliance with the law, the rigging and breaking of the law was not substantial to overturn the election.’’

The only thing the electoral reforms may help us is, if they set a quantitative threshold of what constituents substantial rigging, otherwise all this noise about electoral reforms is much ado about nothing.

Should the opposition take part in this sham process?

Yes! Not with the expectation of Museveni driving to Kololo to hand over having been defeated but to galvanize the population and mobilize them to reclaim their sovereignty through civic action.

If the reforms are not tabled within one month as directed by court, will anything happen?

What happened when police invaded the High Court apart from Justice Ogoola writing a good poem about the event?

What happened when security operatives invaded parliament and clobbered MPS like there was no tomorrow?

How many court orders have been ignored by government?

To expect a criminal regime to respect court orders is to stretch one’s mind too far.

WAY FORWARD
Stop unnecessary fights, mobilize, organize, and throw out the senile military junta before 2021 elections.

Nyanjura Doreen Omutatiina is LC5 woman councilor Makerere University,
FDC NEC Member,
[email protected]

Tags: electoral reformselectoral reforms ugandanational electionsoppositionopposition politicsugandaUgandan elections
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Legal aid bill set back by financial implications

Next Post

Farmers in disaster prone areas encouraged to take up insurance opportunity

Amon Katungulu

Amon Katungulu

Related Posts

Opinion: The intricacy of raising an orphaned elephant

Opinion: The intricacy of raising an orphaned elephant

by NP admin
August 12, 2022
0

By Onesmus Mutuuza The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) draws its mandates from the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre...

Opinion: Outsourcing is the missing piece in Uganda’s job creation puzzle

Opinion: Outsourcing is the missing piece in Uganda’s job creation puzzle

by NP admin
August 11, 2022
0

By Erick Wilson Wafula African governments and the private sector need to create around 12 million jobs annually to absorb...

OPINION: At COP27, world leaders ought to mandate climate education in schools

Secure our Future by Optimizing Transport Assets and Climate Chaos

by Arans Tabaruka
August 9, 2022
0

It is common knowledge that Uganda’s works and transport infrastructure, logistics and mobility sector takes the biggest allocation of the...

Opinion:How to insulate your family assets in the event of death

Opinion:How to insulate your family assets in the event of death

by NP admin
August 8, 2022
0

By Dianah Katusiime ‘Kolelela Akalambo Ko’ is a famous Luganda phrase that translates to ‘work for your corpse’. The phrase...

Next Post
Farmers in disaster prone areas encouraged to take up insurance opportunity

Farmers in disaster prone areas encouraged to take up insurance opportunity

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Miguna Miguna: Bobi Wine, and Besigye are hypocrites, why are they observers in Kenya yet they support Raila?

Bobi flees Kenya as his American colleague Jeffrey Smith courts Besigye on Uganda politics

August 11, 2022
“She was almost naked”-Internal Affairs speaks out on “embarrassing” singer Winnie Nwagi

“She was almost naked”-Internal Affairs speaks out on “embarrassing” singer Winnie Nwagi

August 8, 2022
Top 10 African countries with exceptionally beautiful women

Top 10 African countries with exceptionally beautiful women

April 29, 2021
Joy Kabatsi tipped to become board chairperson Uganda Railways Corporation

Joy Kabatsi tipped to become board chairperson Uganda Railways Corporation

August 14, 2022
Kenya elections 2022: Raila Odinga and William Ruto in tight presidential race

Kenya elections 2022: Raila Odinga and William Ruto in tight presidential race

August 14, 2022
Author Rushdie survives stabbing to neck, but could lose eye

Author Rushdie survives stabbing to neck, but could lose eye

August 14, 2022
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Careers
Call us: +256-417-720-101
Email: [email protected]

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
  • Education
  • Security
    • Cyber Security
  • Health
    • Coronavirus outbreak
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Mable Twegumye Zake’s #BitsOfMe&You
      • But this Year!
      • What Did I Miss?
  • Lifestyle
    • Hatmahz Kitchen
    • Food Hub
    • Let’s Talk About Sex
    • Entertainment
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
    • Ethiopia
    • Sudan
  • Technology
  • Ask the Mechanic
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.