French Ambassador to Uganda has Tuesday said the Ugandan government turned down an offer by European Union (EU) to facilitate the upcoming local council elections.
Stephanie Rivoal added EU intended to fund the polls by secret ballot.
She expressed fear about the intimidation during the lining up behind candidates which could jeopardize the fairness of the exercise.
The Electoral Commission (EC) chairman Justice Simon Byabakama early June announced July 10 as the official date for the long awaited polling exercise.
Uganda has spent fifteen years without voting for local council one leaders.
Contacted for a comment, the EC spokesman Jotham Taremwa expressed unawareness on this matter, “I don’t know about that may be you ask the government spokesperson.”
Mr Ofwono Opondo when reached couldn’t reply our texts nether pick calls.
High Profile Meeting
The French Ambassador made this revelation while meeting Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga in an extra-ordinary meeting with Heads of European Mission accredited to Uganda over Age Limit and Security.
The delegation was headed by Germany Ambassador to Uganda, Dr. Peter Christof Blomeyer earlier on requested for an audience with the Speaker to discuss about legislations, human rights and security.
During the Q and A session, Ambassador Blomeyer opened the floor wondering why the Supreme Court has up to date delayed to pronounce its judgement on the petition filed against the age limit Bill that was passed by Parliament late last year.
“It is now two months since the 9th of April when the Court in Mbale closed its proceedings… where the petition from Uganda Law Society cited that violation of the integrity of Parliament… and that the amendment should be declared null and void. And we are worried that the 60 working days in which a petition should be disposed of by the court as per the Constitution have elapsed and there is no ruling up to now,” Blomeyer said.
Blomeyer also decried the ‘unfair’ treatment of opposition MPs after many of them were suspended from the House for alleged indiscipline during the age limit debate.
Kadaga declined to comment on the matters saying that it is before a prominent court of law, but defended the suspension of rowdy opposition in September last year saying it was conducted within the frame of Parliament Rules of Procedure.
“I can’t comment on what is within the judiciary and I can’t anticipate on what they are going to say. For I did my work and its court to also do theirs,” Kadaga said.
“I don’t think you need to make serious issues about suspensions. I know all of you here have parliaments and I know that members do get suspended. It is the right of the speaker to keep discipline in the House.”
The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Uganda, Peter West tasked Kadaga to give her assessment about the current alarming cases of insecurity in the country that has been characterized by murders and kidnaps, climaxing with the recent murder of Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga.
Kadaga in her response called for trust of the local leadership and vigilance from the general public to identify. She added that MPs are set to interact with President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday (tomorrow) over state of security in the country.
Last week, Museveni listed a 10-point strategy to fight criminality in the country among them includes fingerprinting all guns in circulation, mandatory installation of electronic number plates on all motor vehicles and bodabodas and installation of cameras in the highways, towns and streets among others.