The Chairperson for the Electoral Commission (EC) Justice Simon Byabakama has wrote to the Inspector General of Uganda Police Force, Martins Okoth Ochola calling for a stop to disruption of election campaigns activities by security forces.
The new development follows persistent calls by opposition politicians to the EC over what they refer as harassment by security forces which recently resulted into violent protests in the country.
Byabakama stated that the IGP is aware that presidential candidates follow a harmonized campaign programme (a copy of which was shared with police) for the gazetted campaign period and therefore any electoral activity undertaken is within the law.
“Please note that conducting campaigns as per the harmonized programme is a recognized activity under the presidential elections Act and the roadmap dor the 2021 general elections” Byabakama said.
In the letter, Byabakama said the police force is required to ensure that the campaigns take place in a peaceful manner, in accordance with the law as well as guidelines, and urged the IGP to facilitate the smooth actualization of campaigns.
“This is therefore to urge you to facilitate the smooth actualization of this eklectoral activity and ensure that there is no disruption and/or such blocking of the harmonized campaign programme” he added.
Byabakama also noted that disruption of campaign activities by police has resulted into unnecessary confrontations with physical clashes which has portrayed the conduct of campaigns in a negative way.
National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Patrick Oboi Amuriat, Renewed Uganda’s Gen. Henry Tumukunde Kakurugu and Gen. Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) have all been calling for EC’s intervention into blockage of their campaign activities by security ever since campaigns began on 9th November 2020.
The new development comes a day after Byabakama noted that he had not received a formal complaint from any of the presidential candidates despite the claims of harassment.