A bare footed Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat with the Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga and others at Bulange-Mengo.
The Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has
emphasized the need for rule of law and strict observance of human rights
during the ongoing campaigns ahead of the 2021 general election.
According to Mayiga, all candidates should be free
to express their political views and to converse for support throughout the
country without any interference from the security operatives.
“You cannot have the rule of law or even respect
human rights when the candidates cannot express their views or converse
support. Therefore, all candidates should be able to talk to their supporters
on the public media channels and on the private ones once they pay the requisite
fees,” said Mayiga.
The Katikkiro made the statement while interfacing
with officials from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party led by their
presidential candidate Patrick Oboi Amuriat who paid him a courtesy call today.
During the courtesy visit, FDC bought a total of 200
Kabaka’s Birthday Run kits worth 4 million Shillings as well as Buganda Kingdom
certificate worth 2 million Shillings. The Birthday Run is scheduled for
November 29th, 2020 under the theme “Men Against AIDs to Save the Girl Child”.
Mayiga said
that the Kingdom condemns interference with individual freedoms during the
campaign period as well as violence.
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Luganda
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Mayiga reiterated his earlier sentiments about the
COVID-19 pandemic during the campaign period saying that the virus is real and
not political, but the price for controlling crowds should not be shooting
citizens or torturing them.
He says that security forces ought to act
professionally and that way control crowds without maiming or killing unarmed
citizens.
Meanwhile, the Katikkiro commended the FDC for prioritizing
issues dear to Buganda like the federal system of government. He however advised the voters in Buganda to look out
for candidates who espouse the Kingdom’s five aspiration objectives including
the sanctity of the heritage including respect for the incumbent on the throne,
a federal system of government, protection of land rights and the boundaries of
the Kingdom, extension of economic and social services for the well-being of
the people of Buganda and unity of the people of Buganda.
Mayiga said that as FDC and other parties go about
their campaign throughout Buganda, the Kingdom wants to hear them promote and pronounce
themselves on the aspiration objectives and on the key issues that can truly
and genuinely transform Uganda.
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Luganda
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Mayiga also noted that it is important that
political actors engage with other sectors in the country because leadership is
not about going it alone but rather collecting the views or getting counsel of
every group.
“Every student of history knows that the Kingdom of
Buganda is central to the formation of the country Uganda. The struggle and all
the processes that led to Independence in 1962 were deeply related or even originated
within the Kingdom of Buganda and as our experience as an independent country
played out, it was within Buganda to the large extent. And of course the
Capital is here and most of the national installations are found in Buganda. The
same is also true with regard to the economic activities since the bigger
portion of the country’s GDP is realized within an 80 Kilometer radius from
Kampala which largely constitutes the Kingdom,” he added.
The Katikkiro noted that the Kingdom is very much
interested in the national political developments since Buganda is quiet
intertwined with the entire country.
Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the FDC presidential candidate
appealed to the Kingdom to welcome him as a son for Buganda given that his mother
is a Muganda. Amuriat was in the company of the current MP for Nakawa Micheal
Kabaziguruka, Rubaga Division Mayor Joyce Ssebugwawo, FDC National Chairman
Wasswa Biriggwa, Kampala Woman MP FDC candidate Stella Nyanzi and others.
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Amuriat presented a copy of the FDC manifesto to
Mayiga saying that one aspect that strikes them in as far as governance is
concerned is the federal government that they advocate for.
“And so Buganda should be at peace because our
government is going to be working with the federal government here, and federal
will be given in its true sense of the word as it is understood by Buganda,” he
said.
He equally reported that they are facing a very
difficult time while campaigning in the field especially those challenging the
current establishment. Amuriat said that opposition leaders have been molested,
tear gassed and find themselves in a situation where campaigns are becoming
impossible.
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The Electoral
Commission - EC on Thursday wrote to the Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Martin Okoth Ochola demanding to know why the force has continuously
interrupted campaign meetings of opposition presidential candidates. Byabakama
said that he had received several complaints from the candidates expressing
dissatisfaction over the continuous interruption of their meetings by the
police.
For slightly over two
weeks that presidential candidates have been campaigning, they have been met
with the brunt force of the police force and other security forces. Wherever
candidates especially Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of the National Unity Platform
(NUP) and Patrick Amuriat Oboi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have
gone, they have been teargassed, or even arrested after clashing with the
police especially in regards to campaign venues.
Since the political activities leading to the 2021
election started, The Kingdom of Buganda has interfaced with major political
actors including the ruling National Resistance Movement –NRM party and the National
Unity Platform – NUP.
Ugandans are expected
to go to polls to elect their president and Members of Parliament on January
14th, 2021. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is the incumbent is
tussling it out with 10 other candidates.