As Uganda readies for an election tomorrow (Thursday), President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is turning into an autocratic leader in order to maintain a firm grip on his power. He bent on silencing his main rival, suppressing the media, and preparing himself for a sixth term in office. This only confirms that Uganda, like some other countries in the region, is depending on corrupt security forces to remain in power against popular wish.
However, after 35 years in power, this time he faces a powerful opponent the popular singer Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, 38, popularly known by his stage name Bobi Wine, who has reportedly captured the hearts of a new generation by protesting against the country’s corruption and youth unemployment.
But how democratic the election will be is open to question. In the past few weeks, several of the opposition activists were killed or arrested. The opposition leader has also been banned from campaigning. Later, he was detained and beaten on multiple occasions. In November, at least 54 people were shot dead by security forces after Wine’s supporters rioted protesting against his arrest, according to international media reports
As reported, Wine was arraigned before a military court and charged for illegal possession of arms. This means he could face death penalty because the charges levelled against him are treasonous in nature.
The Special Forces Group, headed by the president’s son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, provides him with a personal armed force, while secret intelligence agents operate a parallel security structure.
In 2005, Uganda’s parliament removed the two-term limit for presidents, and in 2018 amended the constitution to allow candidates over 75 years to run, paving the way for Museveni to contest this year.
The fact that the present government is in power since 1986 itself is a proof enough that the government does not have popular support. The government is maintained by security forces to whom self-interest is everything. Allegations of corruption is bound to be rampant to use public money to put down the people.
The new trend of army, police and security forces ceased to be the people’s forces and combing together to support ant-people government is not just dictatorship, it is monarchy under which army, police and security forces are loyal employees of the monarch without royalty in the age of people’s government.
Monarch, genuine or fake, does not need elections. Our appeal to such fake monarchs is do not waste money in sham elections and keep that also for your personal use. There will be no opposition for the election process. That would be more comfortable.
