Eastern Africa Standby Force deploys observer mission for Ugandan polls

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) has deployed a contingent of election observers for the Thursday, January, 14 elections in Uganda.Addressing the media at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala, Ambassador Ahamada Hamadi the diplomatic advisor to the President of Comoros,who is also the Head of the mission, said that the contingent consists of 20 members that were drawn from seven of the member states that make up the Eastern Africa Standby Force.Ambassador Ahamada noted that the overall objective of the mission will be to observe the entire election process and offer a balanced and informed assessment of the elections adding that their legal mandate is guided by the constitution and the electoral laws of Uganda.He urged all candidates and supporters to maintain peace throughout the elections.“The EASF calls on voters to actively engage and carry out their civic obligation by participating in the elections,” Hamadi said.The information manager, Jules Hoareau said the 20 observers will be deployed on regional basis that will cover as many polling stations with a concentration on hotspot areas.He noted that the wider part of the observer mission will be done by local observer groups that they have trained.In a similar manner, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development(IGAD) flagged off observers ahead of the Thursday pollsThe Eastern Africa Standby Force joins the East African Community (EAC) to send an observer mission for Uganda’s polls.Last year , the head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Uganda, Attilio Pacifici, said that they will not deploy election observers as Uganda votes in 2021 but noted they would monitor the polls through their local system of civil society organisations.Uganda goes to polls on Thursday, January,14 in an election that has been christened by many as one where the young are up against the old.