EAC Observers in Uganda for this week’s Presidential elections

By

Gloria Nakiyimba

Members of the East African Community (EAC) Election Observation Mission (EOM) are in Uganda for the 18th February 2016 general elections.

The team led by former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi comprises 50 short-term observers drawn from the East African Legislative Assembly, national Human Rights Commissions, Electoral Management Bodies, Civil Society, EAC Youth Ambassadors and Officers from EAC Secretariat.

His Excellence Mwinyi has told the media in Kampala that the Mission is in the country at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Uganda and in fulfillment of the relevant provisions of the EAC Treaty.

The EAC Election Observation Mission arrived in Kampala this week and will remain in the country until 21 February 2016.

President Mwinyi revealed that the group was preceded by a team of election experts from the EAC Partner States who arrived on 30 January 2016.

“The Mission will observe the concluding stages of the campaign process and engage with various stakeholders as well as observe the voting and counting processes on 18 February 2016” Mr. Mwinyi said.

In its assessment of the electoral process, the EAC Election Observation Mission will be guided by the democratic principles and values outlined in the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Governance and the EAC Principles for Election Observation and Evaluation.

“The assessment of the electoral process in the Republic of Uganda will be carried out in an impartial and objective manner, informed by the principles and guidelines stipulated in the aforementioned standards as well as the legal framework governing the conduct of elections in the country” he  asserted.

The EAC is deploying a total of seventeen teams of observers in different parts of Uganda to assess the level of preparedness of the elections as well as the polling process.

“The Mission will issue a statement of its preliminary findings of the elections on 20 February 2016 through a press conference. Subsequently, the EAC will release a final and comprehensive report through its policy organs after the end of the electoral process in the Republic of Uganda” president Mwinyi averred.

Ugandans will go to the polls next Thursday 18^th February to choose their future leader. The race is tight between incumbent Yoweri Museveni and opposition Forum for Democratic Change, FDC candidate retired Col. Dr. Warren Kizza Besigye.

Meanwhile NRM flag bearer in next Thursday elections Yoweri Museveni has sternly warned Ugandans against post-election violence. The president says anyone who tries to instigate violence among the people will be crushed. He pointed out that no one can bring war here, adding that although he might not stop someone from such propaganda, but if the devil tempts anyone to pick a gun, that will be their end. He sounded the warning while addressing a rally at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) playground in Nakawa Division last week.

Gloria Nakiyimba

Gloria has experience spanning more than five years in Journalism, particularly in field reporting, editing, newscasting and management. She is currently working with Capital Radio Limited [91.3 Capital FM and 96.3 Beat FM] as Head of News, a position she has held since 2010.

Gloria previously worked as the Kampala Correspondent for Radio France International [RFI] generating local story leads with international inference for RFI’s global audience. She also served as Political Editor for The Weekly Mail Newspaper as well as Online Content Editor for the California based Ugandan broadcaster KubutakaRadio.com.