By Monitor Team
As Ugandans go to the polls today, the Catholic Bishops of Uganda have written a letter on some of the critical issues that have to be looked into in order to have a smooth postelection era.Dear Brothers and SistersChrist brings you renewed hope and commitment in the New Year, 2021. We have already said in our previous messages that the year 2020 will be remembered as a special year, the year the world experienced a pandemic of great magnitude and ferocity. The pandemic has left a trail of death, fear and illness in many families and communities. For us who are still alive, we have reasons to thank God and take heart because he has overcome the world.The year 2020 was also marked by political campaigns leading to the General Election. As usual, the country is gripped by election fever, and a number of challenges emerged that require urgent attention and remedy as we go through the elections. The purpose of this pastoral letter, therefore, is to add our voice to many others calling for peaceful, free and fair elections. We do this, as responsible citizens of our country, and also as shepherds of the people.From the pastoral letter issued in 1961 by His Grace Joseph Kiwanuka, of venerable memories, the then Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, titled: The Church and State: Guiding Principles, the Catholic bishops in Uganda have written several letters to guide the country on various social, political and economic issues. By so doing, the bishops are making sure the message and mission of Christ on earth is implemented: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.It is from this perspective that the ongoing elections, present us with signs that impose on us, shepherds, the duty to speak up and provide counsel to the people, rulers and subjects alike, in line with our duty to proclaim the Gospel at all cost. In so doing, we do not assume responsibility for every aspect of life in our country; but speak with the competence that is ours, which is that of proclaiming, Christ the redeemer. Advertisement
In this pastoral letter, therefore, we provide some basic principles that, we believe, should guide the conduct of all stakeholders in the electoral process if the outcome is to be credible, and love and harmony is to prevail in the country after the elections. These principles, include respect for human life, respect for human dignity, promotion of justice, love and peace, upholding the common good, solidarity, and promoting community and democracy.The prevailing political environmentSince the beginning of the electoral cycle in 2018, there have been some positive and negative events that have characterised the conduct of various stakeholders. We begin by applauding political parties and individuals who have offered themselves to participate in the elections by fielding candidates or standing for the various elective positions. We also recognise the efforts made by the Electoral Commission to organise elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and security agencies for providing the minimum environment for candidates to communicate or propagate their manifestoes to the voters.We are, however, deeply concerned about certain anomalies that could taint the credibility of the electoral process and outcome of the polls if not addressed urgently. Some of these issues have also been noted by the courts of law, including the Supreme Court, in the various petitions filed by candidates challenging the outcome of similar elections in the past. In particular, we address ourselves to the following:Breach of peace and rights of personsWe all witnessed the violence that characterised primary elections in some political parties; protests that rocked the country from November 18 to 19 2020, following the arrest of the presidential candidate for National Unity Platform; and the several clashes between the security agencies and some Opposition candidates and their supporters. These episodes have caused the deaths of more than 70 people since the electoral process began, some of them innocent bystanders. Many more have also been injured; some are still nursing injuries, and property worth of millions of shillings destroyed. The innocent and perpetrators alike, are yet to get justice.What perturbs us most is the fact that many of the victims died or got injured in the hands of security agencies tasked with the duty to protect life and property of citizens. We see this as abuse of authority. We want to state categorically the words of Pope John XXIII that those who have authority in the State must exercise that authority in a way which is not only morally irreproachable, but also best calculated to ensure or promote the State’s welfare and those of the citizens. Such violence and conduct only negates this moral obligation and undermines the sanctity of life over which only God, the creator, has authority. The State must exercise restraint in the face of adversity.Moreover, apart from demonstrating lack of political maturity on the part of various political actors, such violence only weakens the foundations of democracy laid by the Constitution. The same Constitution guarantees the right of every citizen to elect leaders through a vote, and gives the mandate to the Electoral Commission to organise free and fair elections where such right can be exercised.For an election or electoral process to be free and fair, it must be conducted in an atmosphere that enables every citizen entitled to vote to exercise his or her right without any form of intimidation, or coercion, or manipulation. Short of that, an electoral process undermines the inherent rights of citizens to choose.The link between elections in our country and human rights has been worrisome. We wonder how a democratic process should be a breeding ground for violation of rights provided for in our national Constitution. Every election, since independence, has paid less attention to human rights. Yet, human rights are inalienable, for the simple reason that nobody or institution has the power to grant them; they are rooted in natural law.Man and woman have a string of rights, among them, the right to live, the right to be respected, the right to bodily integrity, the right to freedom in investigating the truth, and, within the moral order and common good, the right to freedom of speech, association and publication, and the right to be accurately informed about public events and policies. Man’s dignity also involves the right to take part in public life, and to make a contribution to the common welfare of his fellow citizens.But, man’s rights come with duties and responsibilities. As Pope John XXIII said …to claim one’s rights and ignore one’s duties, or only half fulfil them, is like building a house with one hand and tearing it down with the other. And during our time, Pope Francis says everyone should, according to his or her specific gifts, fight to protect the fundamental rights of individuals during these elections, and to exercise their rights in a manner that does not impede others from enjoying their rights. This is the only way we will guarantee peace and stability before, during and after the elections.IntoleranceIn the previous elections, we witnessed several scuffles among and within political groups. Such scuffles are a sign of intolerance. Over time, we have pointed out and warned Ugandans about the dangers of intolerance to our country’s stability. Seeds of intolerance led to the political turmoil which our country experienced immediately after Independence, which continues to haunt us to date. We are mindful of the fact that disagreements are part of politics and reflect the divergent ways in which humans experience and interpret the world and the events around them. The more we come to the realisation of this truth, the more we should open up to others to express themselves without imposing our own experiences and ideas on them. Unless, this expression evades our own rights, there can be no justification, whatsoever, for anyone or groups to prevent others from freely exercising their rights, including political rights.Discord in political partiesA genuine multiparty political system must, firstly and foremost, be rooted in moral principles that are consistent with the true nature and aspirations of the human person. Secondly, it must be inclusive; open to the limits of possibilities provided within its internal rules and the national Constitution, which includes the possibility to accept new members and to allow members to exit as and when they wish without any fear of intimidation or punishment. Thirdly, it must respect diversity and dissent; that although men and women are equal in the eyes of God and before the law, they, in fact, differ in their experiences, beliefs and ideas. Violence, division, discrimination and repressive tendencies within any political party, therefore, undermine these principles.Often, these ugly scenes play out due to failure in the management of internal elections, many of which fail to meet the standards of a genuine democratic process. Apart from loss of life and property, this has persistently given rise to “independents”. Statistics show that “independents” dominate the current electoral process. The rise of “independents” from internal party elections, is a clear sign of limited appreciation of the workings of a multiparty democracy. It is also a sign that most political parties have not built credible internal dispute resolution mechanisms and a culture of consensus.Commercialisation of electionsIn our previous pastoral letters and communiques, we pointed out the futility of turning politics into a money-making venture. To our disappointment, the situation has gotten worse, thus, threatening the good initiatives by various actors to deepen democratic governance in our country. We have seen some candidates spend colossal sums of money with the hope of recouping this money when they come to office.Bribery Material resources are a significant aspect of any political activity, including elections. However, its use to influence the decision of voters remains a thorn in our budding democracy. We have raised this concern before in our pastoral letters. In some cases we recommended amendment of the various electoral laws to empower the Electoral Commission (EC), or any other body, to remove or bar candidates who bribe voters from running for any political office. This has not happened.For purpose of clarity, bribery is criminal in Uganda under the Anti-Corruption Act and the relevant electoral laws. The problem with bribery is that while the politician knows it is immoral and illegal, often the voter does not easily distinguish such gifts from the normal facilitation allowed under the same laws. Accordingly, the practice has continued unabated at all levels of elective position, and no candidate or voter appears to be innocent. Further, there is weakness in enforcement of the law by relevant government bodies, such as police and the EC. The proper thing to do would be not to allow persons found guilty of bribery to stand in by-elections organised following annulment of results due to such misconduct.IntimidationIntimidation is another serious dent in our elections, despite being criminal under the various electoral laws. It is referred to as undue influence under the Presidential Elections Act, The Parliamentary Elections Acts and The Local Government Act. [1] In all three laws, undue influence is defined to include making use or threatening to make use of force, inflicting or threatening to inflict temporary or spiritual injury, or loss, upon a person in order to induce or refrain that person from voting for his or her preferred candidate. It may take the form of abduction, duress, or any fraudulent device or gadget. Unlike bribery, it attracts a heavier sentence of up to five years or fine of one hundred currency points.Intimidation continues despite this elaborate legal framework, simply because the mechanisms in place are too weak or reluctant to enforce the law within an election environment. Sometimes, and more often, as observed by the Supreme Court in the various presidential election petitions, many such acts are committed by overzealous elements within the security apparatus. Candidates and voters too have been implicated in acts of intimidation. Many of these have escaped the long arm of the law, or have been selectively prosecuted.We strongly believe that intimidation of any sort has no place in a civilised society, let alone political system. It undermines the will of the people to choose the leaders they want and violates several cardinal principles of democracy laid down in our Constitution and several international norms to which Uganda is a signatory. Indeed, nobody has the right to intimidate another. Each voter must be allowed to choose his or her leader, and candidates to reach out to voters without undue restrictions, but within the confines of a just law.Abusive and derogatory languageThis is another offence under our electoral laws and attracts imprisonment or fine. The use of abusive and derogatory language by a candidate is driven by intolerance and desperation arising from loss of confidence in oneself to win an election. It also indicates a lack of respect and minimum modesty expected of a leader. Some candidates have made it a habit to insult and degrade their colleagues instead of focusing on what they intend to deliver once elected into office.Attacks on journalists and civil society organisationsJournalists are often referred to as the ear, nose and eye of society. Their function is to educate, inform, and entertain. A free, independent and responsible media is one of the pillars of democratic governance, which must be upheld, more so in such important moments of any country, such as elections. They help in unravelling anomalies in the electoral process and providing the information voters need to make informed decisions. In that case, they act as messengers, and, are therefore, entitled to protection from unjustified attacks from anybody.Even as these principles and obligations are well known, some elements within security organs have continued to direct their attacks on journalists. Some journalists covering the campaign trail of some Opposition leaders have suffered grave injuries as a result of such attacks. We condemn this kind of behaviour as it adds fire to an already fragile situation that characterise these elections. No amount of justification can explain such unprofessional conduct on the part of persons who must protect the people and their property. Something must be done to deal decisively with such errant officers, lest impunity takes root, and anarchy descends on the land.We are equally concerned about the recent interventions directed at some civil society organisations. A number of them have had their bank accounts frozen and some of their officials arrested and charged with very serious crimes. Yet, a vibrant civil society is key to the growth of democracy in any country and sign of great political maturity. Civil society is the bridge between the citizenry and duty bearers and are among watchdogs over the conduct of those in authority.Securing the electoral processAlthough maintaining peace during elections is the duty of all stakeholders, security agencies are mandated by law to coordinate these efforts. The police force, in particular, is given the primary responsibility for security and peace during elections. The Constitution, however, gives it the privilege of inviting other security organs, including the military, when necessary. We appeal to the police force and all other security agencies involved in the electoral process to dispense their mandate in a diligent and professional manner. In particular we recommend that in the maintenance of law and order, the police should be seen to act impartially and refuse to be drawn into the political contestations, it must at all times be seen to account to the people, not to any political group. Protecting the rights of journalistsWe have already emphasised the important role of journalists and the media, as a whole, play in an election. It is in that same spirit that we call upon the State to respect and safeguard press freedom in the interest of promoting the common good and respect for the fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in our national Constitution and various international human rights instruments. We condemn any unprovoked attacks on journalists covering the electoral process, and urge the police and other security agencies, not merely to apologise to the media fraternity, but also to expedite investigations into these incidences with the view of bringing the culprits to account for their actions.Similarly, we ask all journalists to exercise their mandate with humility and desist from any provocative language and acts that can inflame violence. Media houses and practitioners must be objective, practice responsible reporting and serve all sections of people without any bias since irresponsible reporting can be a cause of chaos that can lead to violence and untold suffering. Please take note of the words of Pope Francis: Amid the confusion of voices and messages that surround us, a Christian journalist is called to be a new witness to the truth, thus becoming a bearer of hope and confidence in the future. [2] This message applies not only to Christian journalists but to all persons involved with the media. Such persons should refuse to be used by any political group to fan conflict.Dear people of God, we remind you of our noble Motto: For God and My Country. We, therefore, reiterate the fact that elections are a very important aspect in any democracy. It comes with many expectations. We, therefore, call upon all players to conduct themselves in a manner that promotes peace, unity, equality, freedom and social justice. We should all focus on building, and not destroying our common home, Uganda. We cannot do this unless we exhibit high level of political maturity. This includes accepting others who are different from us in their opinion and belief. Finally, once the elections are over, we advise the party that will come to power to initiate a process of national dialogue and reconciliation. There are many outstanding issues in our country that cannot be resolved by elections or mere change in leadership. Ugandans need to be given the opportunity to chart a future together.May God keep you safe during this election period; may He inspire you to be agents of peace; may He give you the courage to witness the love of God in your daily interactions with your neighbours, for, as Jesus taught us “Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called children of God”.Mismanagement of Election resultsThe results of an election are very crucial in the electoral process. We have already stated that the results of a mismanaged election led to bloodbath in the past, and the scars of that violence are still with us. Instead of learning from such incidents in order to improve the management of our elections, we seem to slide back into the same problem.It is sad to note that tampering with election results, through forgery and ballot stuffing, remains one of the biggest challenges in our elections, and is among key drivers of election-related violence, both within political parties and the national elections.The Supreme Court, in its various rulings, noted this challenge, and provided some recommendations to relevant bodies to address the problem. We appeal to the conscience of persons involved in such acts to allow the will of the people to prevail. Remember, that the commandment Thou Shall Not Steal also applies to vote stealing.Need for patriotismThere can never be lasting peace if political players are not driven in their programmes by a strong sense of patriotism, which requires us to love our country and feed it with our labour and respect for its values. It is, therefore, important that candidates at all levels and voters should desist from acts that can destroy the peace and foundation of economic and political development built with the sweat of many Ugandans. We do not want another war and a violent change of leadership in our country, as nobody, but the authors of such violence, stand to benefit from such violence. Candidates and voters should, therefore, avoid use of language and behaviour that fuel hatred and violence.This is a condensed version of a pastoral letter authored by the Catholic Bishops of Uganda on the 2021 elections.Signed by Joseph Antony Zziwa, chairperson of Uganda Episcopal Conference and Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese.editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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