The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) President and Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, has inexplicably called on the Commonwealth to conduct an independent audit of Uganda’s recent elections (Nile Post, February 11, 2026).
Inexplicably, because as a senior lawyer and seasoned politician, Mr Lukwago should know better: the Commonwealth has never set any gold standard for democracy in its member states.
Article 9(1) of the 1991 Harare Declaration is clear: the Commonwealth heads of state “pledged to work with renewed vigour, concentrating especially in the following areas: the protection and promotion of…democracy, democratic processes and institutions which reflect national circumstances…”
For avoidance of any doubt, note the caveat – “democratic processes and institutions which reflect national circumstances.”
Moreover, the Commonwealth is guided by a set of its founding Charter principles, including these three:
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Sovereign Equality: The Commonwealth recognizes all member states as equal, regardless of size or wealth, with the same rights and obligations.
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Territorial Integrity: The Charter mandates that member states refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
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Non-Interference: The Commonwealth upholds the principle that states must not intervene in the internal or external affairs of others.
As lawyer Erias Lukwago knows, it would be a flagrant breach of these principles if the Commonwealth were to conduct an independent audit of Uganda’s recent elections.
Against this background, playing gesture politics appears to be Mr. Lukwago’s motive for asking the Commonwealth to conduct such an audit.
Uninformed People’s Front for Freedom members in particular, and the opposition as a whole, will feel a false sense of relief that Mr Lukwago is taking their struggle for democracy to the international arena.
In reality, however, Mr Lukwago is making the call for political reasons, intended for publicity, but having no real effect on the situation in Uganda. Wait and see. The Commonwealth will not take any action, and President Museveni, the new MPs, and Mr Lukwago’s successor, Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo, will be sworn in accordance with the same general election results.
I know from experience as a former anti-Museveni lobbyist on the international stage that Western governments and international institutions would rather live with Museveni’s organised chaos than sleepwalk into the predictable anarchy under the opposition.
This is because the opposition shares nothing in common except their loathing for Museveni, and deep divisions exist within and between the parties.
Consider the bizarre recent incident when Winnie Byanyima invited Mr Lukwago to watch and cheer as she publicly handed an undisclosed amount of money, rumoured to be $50,000, to the rival NUP President Bobi Wine.
The NUP won some 59 seats in Parliament, thanks to the alleged founding by Ms. Byanyima’s husband, Dr Kizza Besigye. Dr Besigye’s party, PFF, which is also supported by Ms. Byanyima, managed only two seats. Mr. Lukwago himself lost his mayoral seat.
If parties are so divided in opposition today, how much more so would they be in government tomorrow, given the likely policy differences and the fight over the allocation of lucrative government positions?
Perhaps Mr Lukwago should have called on the Commonwealth to conduct an independent audit of the self-destruct conduct within and between the Uganda opposition instead.
