The fast fading, formerly, Uganda’s strongest opposition establishment has warned of an imminent “action packed movie” should the regime continue to press its opponents on the wall.
The party that has staged resistance against President Yoweri Museveni’s military rule for 20 years says, “we have reached our breaking point.”
‘Action packed movie’
In a statement published on the party’s official Twitter while responding to Museveni’s directive to State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate election violence in Bukedea district, FDC named a number of incidents were State agents unleashed mayhem on its leaders.
Full FDC statement:
We know you are aware of what transpired in the previous general ‘election’ of 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021, which were marred by violence; ballot stuffing, kidnapping and arresting of our polling agents, and gunning down your opponents, etc. However, since you are suffering from amnesia and pretence, let’s inform you of the recurring irregularities that have marred the recent by-elections.
In Soroti City East, over 135 of our leaders, election supervisors, and secretariat staff were arrested from their hotel rooms on the eve of the ‘election’. Polling agents were kidnapped, our vehicles were shot at, and RDCs covered their car number plates with mud and started intimidating voters and stuffing ballots in broad daylight.
Thousands of people in Soroti City East didn’t vote! It was the Parliamentary Police and UPDF who cast votes on their behalf.
Similar incidents unfolded in subsequent by-elections in Kisoro, Kasese, and Serere. The recent events in Bukedea may look like a film to you, but for the people of Uganda, it is the harsh reality they face daily. Human rights violations, political repression, extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced disappearances, actions, reminiscent of the “bad regimes” of Milton Obote and Idi Amin you often give as an example, are now occurring under your junta rule. You have pushed us to the wall and we have reached our breaking point, our frustration is building up and soon, you will witness the unfolding of a genuinely packed movie, and it won’t be a pleasant scenery.
Below is Museveni’s letter which has sparked off debate in the country
I have got some disturbing information about the recent by-election in Bukedea for LCV Chairperson where our NRM Candidate won with 91% and the voter – turn up was 87%. I was, of course, happy for my Party to perform so well. However, I am now getting information that Government officials on the night of the nomination, invaded the house of Mr. Omagor, confiscated his academic papers and stole shs.163 million from him so that he could not be nominated the following morning. The EC had to extend the nomination days when he appealed. Even then when he went for nomination, he was attacked at the gate of the Electoral Commission. Come election morning, Government officials invaded the polling stations and voted on behalf of the voters. This sounds like a film. However, I want to be sure that Uganda does not go back to the crime of 1980, with Muwanga elections that forced us to go to the bush. Therefore, investigate these claims and if any criminality was committed, take action and report back. Such actions are not only electoral offences. They are also criminal. I am, therefore, directing you to handle the criminals.