We desire peaceful elections


The temperatures have risen towards the election time and this has triggered a number of effects have already been felt. Elections are meant to be received with very much excitement and warm hearts as it is the time for Ugandans to express their power, to audit leaders and pass them over to the next term of office. They should thus be handled with the greatest care and professionalism with dignity. Hardly before even nominations take off, people are fighting, witch-hunting others just because of divergent views over who their favourite candidates are or because of their difference in political parties affiliations.

I am at pains that what should be a very peaceful process turns out to be the most violent process! It is the time when Police excesses are witnessed, opposition candidates pounced upon and while the ruling party continues to thrive while opposition is suffocated. To add salt to injury, is that the political leaders suffer less of this violence, it is the so called voters/supporters who fight against each other for a certain candidate. Many people have been wounded in petty fights just during the NRM primaries and I am worried that if this kind of violence continues to exhibit even before the national elections, we may experience the worst of the violence.

I therefore call upon all the stakeholders: the leaders, candidates, voters, Police, Electoral Commission to propel peaceful elections for Uganda as the trends are worrying. Everyone must play their part in seeing in having peaceful elections for Uganda.


Michael Aboneka Jr

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