KAMPALA – The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has expressed concern that the violence and voter bribery experienced in the NRM elections may be transferred to the 2021 General Election.
At least six people died in the election where the ruling NRM party was election flag bearers for Members of Parliament in next year’s election.
But Mr Semujju Nganda, the FDC spokesman, told journalists on Monday, said the deployment of the military and voter bribery in the NRM primaries may come to haunt the rest of the country next year.
“The violence was headlined by Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana grabbing an AK 47 from a bodyguard and his attempt to shoot supporters of his opponent. As many as six deaths were recorded. Tens of people are in hospital some in critical conditions. Elections in other areas are postponed. There was massive use of the military including the Special Forces Command (SFC) that mainly protects the President,” Mr Nganda said during the party’s weekly briefing.
“The amount of money deployed made the exercise look like a procurement and not an election. The main concern of the FDC is that all these evils will automatically be imported into the general elections. Voters will and are being bribed already. The “magye” is being deployed to stop competitors from carrying out electoral activities. The full state machinery has been deployed to influence the outcome of elections. Mr. Museveni who waged a war because elections were rigged in 1980 is guilt which is the reason he has kept silent,” he added.
