UGANDA AT THE POLLS
February 23rd, 2006IS IT THE END OR THE BEGINING OF THE END FOR MUSEVENI?
The people of Uganda go to the polls today electing members of National Parliament and also the President of the republic. It is an election that is historical in more ways than one. It is the first multiparty elections since the National Resistance Army and Movement (NRA/M) captured power in 1986 and ushered in almost two decades of No Party government under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. It is an election in which the voters are faced with much clearer choice of candidates based on political parties or coalitions of them offering different programmes or emphasizing different aspects of shared policies. The voters are also spoilt for choice of candidates at various levels from the plainly mediocre to the comical and the damn serious and many in between.
It is probably the most controversial election campaign yet at all levels including candidates of the same party slugging it out very fiercely leading to defections, re infections or some other settlements.
The Election tourism industry has flourished very well and their allied clients in the NGOs, local and international, hotels, leisure, entertainment, taxis, car hires, other transporters, food sellers, business centres, etc must be wishing the campaigns had gone longer for more business. Even us columnists, especially my colleagues who mostly comment on Ugandan domestic issues may find less passionate issues to rant on and on about.
Initial reports from different observers have been typical of what one has come to expect these days about election safaris. It seems the statements are already written before they arrive or the templates are in their laptops and all they need to do is just cut and paste changing location, country and names of parties and candidates as and where necessary. A minority of the Voter tourists have suggested that due to the still unlevelled political balance between the government and the opposition the election may not be fully free and fair. The majority of reports so far including that of the AU released on Tuesday, 21 February, yesterday suggest that in spite of a few incidents including violence, they are confident that the campaigns have generally been ‘ok’ and look forward to a free and fair election. Of course the opposition and the ruling parties and their supporters react to these assessments differently depending on their political interests. But there is no denying the truth that the government did engage in underhand methods some of them so crude and crass that they beggar disbelief. They were clearly intimidatory of the opposition and disruptive of their campaigns. The Main opposition candidate and former follower of Museveni, retired Col Kiiza Besigye was facing trial for treason and in a new political low, trial for alleged rape and was in and out of courts, detention centres , as well as campaigning across the country. In further twists in the controversies even some supporters of the ruling party have claimed intimidation especially in opposition strong holds. But it is an unequal balance of terror because the ruling party and government always has greater power and leverage for intimidation than the opposition combined.
Debates and controversies will definitely continue after the elections but today the people of Uganda as the final arbiters of the political wrangles and the ultimate employers of the political class from the president to his batman have the chance to award marks to all the candidates and parties and decide who governs Uganda for the next five years.
It is a right that has been won with blood and struggles. It is not a gift from any leader or party. It is not just those who went to the Bush to fight dictatorship who made democratisation possible. The millions who stayed in the country, kept working in spite of all odds, kept hope alive and supported the struggles in non armed ways have also made their contributions and many of them also paid with their lives. There was a tendency on the part of Museveni and his zealots to equate opposition to him as treason.
But democracy like rainfall knows no good or bad farmer it will pour on all. This means that even those who were on the wrong side of the democratic struggles have the right to democratic freedoms and protection within the law. As people vote today the controversies and passions not withstanding, they will still be inhabiting the same country with their political opponents, this time tomorrow and the day after regardless of the outcome of the vote.
It is important for every qualified citizen to exercise their democratic right to decide who governs them though it is also democratic if you feel that none of the candidates or parties represents your interest to refuse to vote.
Of course the election though the most decisive event is not the only prove of democracy. The process leading to it is also important in determining the legitimacy of the outcome. And voting in itself is not enough as Joseph Stalin (no pretender for any democratic values) once observed that while he was not able to influence how people voted he could influence how the vote is counted. In many countries, not just Africa even the way people vote can be influenced however the decisive influence often tend to be the counting. People must defend their mandate by ensuring that all their votes are properly counted (remember Florida!) and the results tally with how they voted. In the polling booths today as millions cast their votes they must ask themselves: would I be able to live with myself this time tomorrow if this candidate wins? Is this person the best for peace and prosperity of all Ugandans? Whatever the outcome Uganda can never be the same again as the era of deepening multi party democracy beacons. For Museveni and his acolytes it is either the end (if they lose) or the beginning of the end (when they win).