Voter Technology Questioned
By Damba Rogers
As the country waits to go to the polls on 14th this month, voters are seriously concerned with the technology going to be used by the electoral commission in the upcoming exercise.
According to the executive director center for constitutional governance, Sara Birete, the electoral commission has remained extremely silent on the kind of technology they are to use in the coming voting exercise which continues to raise questions on the credibility of the coming exercise from all stakeholders in the country.
In the Amama Mbabazi election petition in 2016, the Supreme Court recommended that the commission uses technology in this election with well spelt guidelines, regulations on its operations to both the voters and the commission.
But to her surprise, the commission has not come out to respect the court guidance which forces the public to question its credibility.
She also cautions govt on the increasing criminalization of citizens during this political season adding that such acts are impacting negatively on citizen’s civic rights to participate in the coming polls.
However, the executive director innovations for democratic engagement and action (IDEA) Job Kijja is tasking the government to take full charge of the situation and governance of the nation during this political time.
Kijja notes that govt has remained very silent as security organs continue to kidnap citizens mainly those thought not to be supporting the regime with the recent incident happening on 24th December 2020 at Ross Bud Entebbe where a one Kasoma Godfrey and other workmates where picked up by gun welding men and have never surfaced since then.
Kijja says, such acts have been witnessed in many parts of the country and government has not come out clear on the kidnappings of citizens by security operatives.
And Uganda’s special UN human rights rapporteur, Margaret Ssekajja is calling for equitable dispensession of justice during the heated up electoral period in the country.
Ssekajja’s remarks follow the continued arrest and brutalization of opposition presidential candidates, their supporters and members of the campaign trail.
She notes that despite a person’s political affiliation there is no need for security organs to oppress them as they go about canvassing for support.
She further warns that such discriminative acts are likely to see a rise of hundreds of electoral petitions discrediting the whole exercise.
Ssekajja now challenges the electoral commission to fully own up the exercise to avoid any further challenges in the remaining days.
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