Badru Kiggundu to EC's Byabakama: "Don't let anybody intimidate you"

The former Electoral Commission chairperson, Eng. Badru Kiggundu has urged his successor, Justice Simon Byabakama to stick to his guns as the country prepares to go into polls on January,14.

Speaking on the sidelines of the function to commission the new Isimba public bridge that connects Kayunga to Kamuli district, Kiggundu said the EC boss should not be intimidated by any politician but should rather stick to what the laws of the country say.

“Make the laws your guidance. Understand the laws and what they say. Many will criticize you but stick to the law,”Kiggundu said on Thursday.

Justice Byabakama’s Electoral Commission has been criticized by many for what has been termed as sanctioning a crackdown on the opposition while on the other side ignoring their National Resistance Movement (NRM) opponents.

Such cases have been cited in the disregarding of the Standard Operating Procedures aimed at stopping the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.

However, speaking in his successor’s defence, Eng.Badru Kiggundu, who served as the Electoral Commission chairman for 14 years between 2002 and 2016 noted the latter should be given more time for perfection at his job.

“There is no university that teaches how to organize elections. You only learn from the job. I also learned from the job on how to run it and what the laws of the country say. Having dissatisfied people is not unique to Uganda. It is everywhere. See what is happening in America, a county well known for democracy,” Kiggundu said.

“It is easy to criticize when you are not in that position but when you reach; you know it is not easy. The only advice I have for him is to follow the laws of the land.”

The former Electoral Commission boss however noted that he will always be available to offer advice to his successor.