Tumukunde asks EC to extend 2021 general elections

The former minister of security, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde, has suggested an extension of the 2021 elections challenging the recently announced revised 2021 election road map.

Tumukunde said as the country continues to fight Covid-19, this would not be the right time to conduct an election given the fragile situation at the moment.

The former spymaster who is also the presidential aspirant doubted the fairness of the electoral process under the revised roadmap.

"You being the Electoral Commission, you must be the chief observant of what the law talks of. You must follow the law for these reasons, legitimacy, and credibility," he said during an interview.

Tumukunde queried the speed in which the commission came up with an idea of scientific elections.

"If children can't go back to schools, universities are closed and 48 districts are under lowdown, how are you going to conduct an election which is legitimate and credible ?" he asked.

On the issue of uniting with other opposition actors, Tumukunde said he has no problem with the idea.

"If you are consulting me on the issue of coming together and at the same time you are boycotting... I don't understand. I need to know everything but I will be ready to join the [united] force," he said.

Tumukunde, who was fired from the cabinet in March 2018, declared his intentions to challenge Museveni for the presidency, a factor that brought him trouble.

He had been on a television talk-show circuit where he revealed how he tricked Museveni into releasing him from the army.

He had also called upon the government of Rwanda to assist him in removing Museveni and the statement led to his arrest but he was given bail.