FDC’s false hope: Will the injunction against EC succeed?

By Joshua Masinde
Dr. Kiiza Besigye, recently, in a campaign for the party presidency was convinced that he might defeat Museveni, if he is elected as Forum for Democratic Change’s presidential flag bearer. However, he lost in the last two presidential elections, but the Supreme Court found that there were massive irregularities in the last two elections, which have always been conducted under the tutelage of Eng. Badru Kiggundu, Electoral Commission chairperson.

However, Besigye’s party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) might be convinced that they are highly unlikely to win the 2011 presidential elections, if the current composition of the electoral commission is to preside over the elections. President Yoweri Museveni renewed the mandate of the EC Chair person, Badru Kiggundu, and its commissioners, but the opposition, flanked by FDC, believes the elections will be unfair, rigged, as they insist the EC chairperson is not credible but tainted and whose work is to hand Museveni another term in office.

Besigye claims the fact that he lost in the last two elections does not mean he can lose in the next one. He asserted that that in all the elections conducted, the Supreme Court arrived at a decision that they were not free and fair; a reason he believes contributed much to losing to the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni.

The party’s decision, through its electoral commissioner, Dan Mugarura, to file injunction that seeks to restrain the EC commissioners from executing their duties comes after FDC had previously filed a petition to challenge the credibility and validity of the composition of the EC members.

Even, FDC’s decision could have inspired decision and determination by the IPC women to spearhead calls for the disbandment of the EC commissioners. At least 35 of them were arrested after being roughed up and manhandled by the police when they had gone to demand the resignation of the electoral commissioners, including its chairperson Badru Kiggundu at the electoral commission offices.

Despite condemnation lodged at the police in the manner of the arrests the women claimed were demeaning to them, the police, through its spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba defended the arrests, saying the IPC women had gathered illegally, and police would not apologise. She further indicated that sensitive national data that could be a matter of national security is stored at the EC offices.

FDC, an affiliate party of the IPC, slammed the police for the manner in which they handled the IPC women. FDC spokesperson, Wafula Oguttu, the arrests, while stating categorically that calls for disbanding the composition of the EC are justified and long overdue. He said it was inhuman to hurl the women onto police trucks like cabbages and bananas.

“We recognise the Electoral Commission, and we have no problem with it,” Oguttu said, adding, “We don’t trust the commissioners. We think they are illegitimate, incompetent and the public has no confidence in them.”

These are the sentiments shared by other IPC affiliate party officials like Omar Kalinge Nnyago, IPC programme officer, who hopes favourable changes in the composition of the electoral commission would allow a new lease of life and level the playing field for democratic participation in the elections. He, just like Wafula Oguttu, believes that if the current composition of the electoral commission is to organise the forthcoming 2011 presidential elections, then the results are already predetermined in favour of the NRM.

However, he is convinced that if the reforms they are vouching for do not see the light of day, they will be on record for demanding for the electoral reforms. He added that in if the NRM government is not keen to do a radical surgery and overhaul of the electoral commission, that is a sign that the forthcoming elections, just like the previous ones, will be marred will massive irregularities to ensure a win for NRM, but they should be ready for the consequences, said Nnyago.

But, this could just be an iceberg of the bitter salt the opposition is yet to meet as the 2011 presidential elections draws close. Oguttu believes the NRM is not confident it can defeat the opposition at the polls unless they put in place measures and the machinery like their favoured EC composition, militia who include but are not limited to some legislators, NRM cadres, sub-county chiefs, local council chairpersons and other elements ready to harass both the opposition and the voters to their advantage.
This follows FDC’s decision to file a petition challenging the appointment of the EC commissioners from executing their duties. If the injunction is successful, it will see to it commissioners Badru Kiggundu, Tom Buruku, Joseph Biribonwa, Stephen Ongaria, earlier injunction seeks to bar the EC chairman, Badru Kiggundu, Jenny Okello, Tomasi Sisye Kiryapawo, and Justine Mugabi from carrying out their duties. However, the challenge against the seven commissioners seems to be bigger enough as parliament already approved their appointment. But, should the petition go through in their favour, this could signal some light in the reforms the opposition has been vehemently claiming to fight for and one hurdle less, as they await to dislodge NRM from power in the next generations elections.