The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Unity Platform-NUP party has faulted Electoral Commission-EC over the arrest of their presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu.
Kyagulanyi was picked up by police from Luuka district headquarters on Wednesday while addressing a campaign rally. His arrest sparked protests in different parts of the country where hundreds of people took to the streets demanding his release.
Kyagulanyi who is still locked up at Nalufenya police station in Jinja city was expected to be in Mpigi, Kalungu and Masaka districts today. Speaking to URN this morning, NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said EC that is mandated to superintendent overall electoral activities in the country has ceded its role to security forces.
He explained that it is for this reason that police and sister security agencies can illegally arrest and detain a presidential candidate who is following his campaign schedule.
He said the arrest of their candidate has slowed down their campaigns.
Police have repeatedly said their role in the elections is to ensure that candidates comply with the guidelines issued by the Commission and Ministry of health to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The head of operations Uganda Police Force, Edward Ochom Ochom says they will not look on as candidates expose people to COVID-19 as well as acting contrary to the law.
The EC spokesperson Paul Bukenya couldn’t be reached for comment on NUP’s claims as he could neither pick nor return calls from our reporter. Today marks 10 days since the 2021 presidential campaigns started. Ugandans go to the polls on January 14th, 2021 to elect the president and members of parliament.
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we should learn from the experience other people have got so that we don’t make mistakes and this will push the struggle very fast and not delay it.we cannot talk of an election where there is no freedom. Let’s avoid personal interests and work towards qualitative change.✌