Uganda 2021: Struggling for Change

 1/17/2021

  Another presidential election in Uganda has been declared for Yoweri Museveni, 76, and with it the usual claims of fraud from the nation’s opposition.  The Electoral Commission of Uganda has declared the elections free and fair.  They have rejected all disputes put forward by opposition candidates.  The President and his ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), continue to retain their hold on power but there are signs that the opposition is becoming more effective.  Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, 38, campaigning by his stage name Bobi Wine and elected to the Parliament in 2017, has mounted a significant effort against the incumbent, even if the Electoral Commission result of 35% for Wine is to be believed.

Wine and many of his followers in his National Unity Platform (NUP) party have decried wrongdoing. Allegations of ballot stuffing, multiple votes given to voters of President Museveni and his allies, and even violence. The entire internet of Uganda was shut down two days prior to the election, a tactic also used in the 2016 presidential contest. This is widely held to be a ploy to deny voters information and candidates communication to their constituents at arguably the most critical moment.  The Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo issued a written statement to the nation’s Internet Service Providers (ISP) directing them to “implement a temporary suspension of the operation of all your Internet Gateways and associated access points.” The statement cites “sections 5[1] and 56 of the Uganda Communications Act of 2013.” The statements highlight two sections; the first, Section 5[1] “Functions of the Commission”, denotes the fifth section’s first subjection, with an individual functions listed for letters “a” through “z”.  The section is as a catch-all for anything the Communication Commission may need to act on and how it should perform those acts. Not a single function lists a national security concern or states why and how internet service is to be suspended; the second section mentioned in the UCC statement, Section 56 states, “An operator shall not deny access or service to a customer except for nonpayment of dues or for any other just cause.”  Again, it nowhere cites any specific reason for such an action, nor does it state in practical terms how such a policy is enacted legally.   The UCC statement is an order with no reason as to why it was issued.

The internet is a critical part of any modern functioning democracy. The fact that Museveni has had the internet suspended directly preceding his past two presidential elections does not allow for a free and fair process.

The Electoral Commission’s decision to deny almost all requests, from allied nations and NGOs alike, to observe polling locations and vote counts is also suspect to say the least.

 The United States ambassador in Kampala, Natalie Brown, released an official statement January 13^th via the Embassy’s website. The statement reads “It is with profound disappointment that I announce the US Mission in Uganda’s decision to cancel our diplomatic observation of Uganda’s January 14 elections due to the decision by the Electoral Commission of Uganda to deny more than 75 percent of the US election observer accreditations requested.  With only 15 accreditations approved, it is not possible for the United States to meaningfully observe the conduct of Uganda’s elections at polling sites across the country.”

The US was not alone in its withdrawal from the election amidst concerns of foul play. The European Union will no longer deploy its observer mission to Uganda. The EU ambassador to Uganda and head of its election observer mission (EOM), Attilio Pacifici stated in an email to Reuters, “An EOM will not be present in Uganda in 2021.”

            Pacifici said the decision was made after considering Uganda’s, “progress on recommendations provided by previous EU electoral missions.” A 2018 report from the EU states not one of its thirty recommendations made for electoral reforms have been implemented.

Another argument against a free and fair election took place in the weeks leading up to election day, January 14^th. The government security forces launched a concerted campaign of violence, harassment, unlawful detainment, and restricted the movements of most opposition candidates and their supporters.  There are numerous reports, backed by hundreds of videos and still images of Ugandan security forces dispersing opposition's rallies, beating their supporters, and arresting the most influential and outspoken critics and leaders. 

Bobi Wine’s supporters have been aggressively targeted by government forces with Wine personally being beaten and detained on several occasions, caught in part on videos. 

After Museveni’s 5^th presidential victory, one that was also tainted by incidents of brutality to opposition candidates was achieved in 2016, the president, 73 at the time, would be disqualified from running for a 6th term due to an age limit of 75 being imposed by the Ugandan constitution.  That was until a minor parliamentarian from Museveni’s NRM party, Raphael Magyezi proposed a bill which would abolish the age limit, allowing Museveni to stay in power until death.

The backlash against changing the constitution was immediate and visceral.  A chant of “Togiwatako” or “Don’t Touch it” became the rallying cry of the united opposition. All around Uganda opposition politicians spoke out against amending the constitution, but none more vocal than Bobi Wine. Songs were written and sung by Wine and other musicians to galvanize the Ugandan people into action. In a speech delivered by Wine in Parliament he implored Ugandans to “defend our constitution before it is too weak to defend us!”

The incredulous comedy begins on September 19^th, 2017 in the Parliament of Uganda. As tanks surrounded the building, supporters of “Togiwatako” don hats and headbands in scarlet red, the color to signify the campaign to leave the constitution unchanged. With red atop their heads, the opposition filibustered the proposed bill by loudly signing the Ugandan national anthem repeatedly.  The following day the singing filibuster began anew, this time culminating in a gun threat as MP and Museveni supporter Ronald Kibuule aimed a firearm at his fellow MP Ibrahim Ssemujju and told him he should prepare for a shot to his nervous system. Thankfully for the parliamentarian the threat was hollow.

The next day when the Session begins again the “Togiwatako” factions renew their signing filibuster. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Speaker Rebecca Kadaga names 25 MPs that have been declared suspended and marked for arrest. Simultaneously, plain-clothed operatives begin their assault, entering the building from President Museveni’s private entrance and violently arresting the 25 MP’s named. Dozens of MPs were severely beaten and at least one woman, MP Betty Nambooze was permanently paralyzed from a spinal injury, allegedly caused by Museveni’s men.

As election day dawned on January 14^th tension could be felt in the air as 17 million Ugandans made their way to the polls. The results would not be declared until two days later, with the Electoral Commission citing no incidents of major fraud or voting irregularities, with Museveni receiving 59% of the vote to Wine’s 35%. During the election plain-cloth operatives illegally entered the property and home of Bobi Wine and his wife Barbara Itungo Kyagulanyi, and essentially placed them on house arrest. When asked, the operatives claim it is for Wine’s own protection.  The President’s party has also retained a majority in Uganda’s 500 seat parliament, but Wine’s National Unity Platform has obtained a majority in the opposition, gaining 56 seats for a total of 77 MPs.

The results have been challenged and protests have broken out around the nation as disappointed and angry citizens take to the street to denounce an election that many say were anything but “free and fair.”  Wine also claims to have video evidence of election fraud that he says will be released once the internet is restored in Uganda.

The nation of Uganda under Museveni has a long history of electoral fraud.  Every single presidential election in Uganda has been marred by some type of irregularity or worse.  Murders are not uncommon, and even during Wine’s presidential campaign his driver, and in a separate incident a bodyguard have both been shot and killed. Wine and his wife have even had grenades tossed into their home while asleep. Undeterred, Bobi Wine says he will dispute the results and, “take all measures that the law permits to challenge this fraud.”  It is doubtful whether Wine and his party will have any effect on the deeply entrenched Museveni, who has for 36 years, kept a tight hold of Uganda’s presidency. Change can be felt in the air and Bobi Wine may be the answer Ugandans are looking for

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Op-Ed: Yoweri Museveni has proven himself a dictator and deserves no further support from democratic governments like the United States until tangible strides are made toward stronger democratic institutions, with elections taking the fore.  The number of murders, beatings, and opposition members detained all point to a security apparatus that acts at the behest of the president and his minions.  With only 11 million Ugandans voting out of a potential 17 million, 36% of the electorate did not vote.  While there are incidents of coercion with respect to some voters staying home, there are many more who did not participate in the process for personal reasons. 

Many Ugandans, with 80% of its population being under 35 years old, see Museveni as a grandfatherly figure and have never known a different president.  Senior citizens prefer the stability and lifestyle they currently enjoy and are hesitant to do anything that may change it. Others noted Wine and his NUP party are short on policy details and concrete plans for change. There were also those that cited Wine’s inexperience in government or of any leadership role.  Bobi Wine is a force to be reckoned with in Ugandan politics. Around the nation his NUP party have won dozens of local positions and 56 seats in the national Parliament.  Uganda is a staunch US ally and has assisted the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It is time for the new president to stand by American principles of democracy and demand another election with international observers.  Like many young democracies, Uganda stands on a precipice to either strengthen their burgeoning democracy or see it slip further into dictatorship.  Benjamin Franklin never knew of Uganda but his wisdom echoes loudly to its people, “A republic, if you can keep it!”