By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
Over the past two decades Uganda has suffered a more significant setback of election malpractice than in any other country in the East African region.
The large majority of elections in the post-multiparty dispensation era are marred by large-scale electoral malpractice as it has been reported by different election observers.
The trend does not significantly decrease over time, is as widespread in parliamentary as in presidential elections, and, is also severe in by-elections.
Opposition politician and the president of the country’s second oldest political party UPC, Hon. James Jimmy Akena Obote is among the political figures concerned about the future of elections in Uganda.
Despite the Thursday win in Dokolo district Woman MP by-election, Akena argues that there is a wealth information regarding electoral malpractice in the election in which the UPC candidate Sarah Aguti Nyangkori was declared a winner.
“The question of buying elections in Dokolo, it took place beginning on Tuesday evening a d on Wednesday, but, the people who were doing it were officials of the government holding public offices. You can go and investigate in any of the villages in Dokolo where money was distributed,” Akena said.
According to Akena, open electoral malpractice by the government officials is not a new trend because this pattern has been previously witnessed in several other elections.
On Monday, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) also alleged that there was attempts by the ruling NRM to rig the election in Dokolo but was highly stopped by public vigilance.
“While acknowledging the valuable lessons from this experience, we must address the nefarious tactics employed by the NRM to disrupt the elections. For instance our team intercepted a Toyota Harrier registration number UBD 614W, belonging to NRM operatives, carrying pre-ticked ballot papers, there were also high levels of voter bribery and intimidation,” said FDC’s deputy secretary for publicity publication and documentation Mulindwa Walid Lubega.
The argument that electoral malpractice is likely to decrease with the advance of time appears to be a nightmare. This is because many of the conditions in place for a “free and fair” elections only favour the incumbent.
Furthermore, UPC president denied allegations that his party was bribing voters to vote for his candidate.
“UPC did not engage in any negative campaigns […] We did not entertain any attacks on any candidates, ours was a policy issues and the future of Dokolo,” Akena dismissed.
Last week on Thursday, Dokolo district returning officer declared UPC candidate, Sarah Aguti winner woman MP by-election after she obtained the highest number of votes 23,044 against NRM’s Janet Adongo Elau’s 14,001 votes. The FDC candidate, Dr Alwoc became third with 8,168 votes. Akena says they will use lessons learned from Oyam North and Dokolo district by-elections as the case study for winning future elections.
Opposition leaders argue that electoral fraud is the single most potent threat to democratic transition, they are warning the country could be heading for trouble in the 2026 elections if the issue of election malpractice is not met head-on.
