Musician cum politician Joseph Mayanja alias Jose Chameleone ever since expressing interest in the mayoral seat, he has over time highlighted most underlying issues in the political arena. The Mayoral hopeful Joseph Mayanja has come out publicly with queries on the credibility and authenticity of the college in conducting a scientific election in the 2021 general elections.
Following the recent announcement made by the Electoral Commission on the Electoral road map of 2021, several critics and political analysts have quashed the move asserting that it’s a practice dubbed to violet the electoral rights of the citizens.
Chameleone however asserts that there is a sect of individuals who are politicizing and using COVID 19 as a scape boat to meet individual selfish interests.
Below Chameleone explained and directed a series of questions to the commission. In addition, before they could go-ahead to implement the decision of conducting the E-campaign and elections.
“Brothers and Sisters
I want to address the myth of Digital Election.
Digital Campaigns won’t work, they are a diversion and a baseless myth.
I’m surprised that the electoral commission can make such impotent proposals towards elections – the most important public event in the country.
Elections are one the most volatile issues of Uganda since independence, how can Electoral Commission make such a mockery on our stability. Ugandans want to change, they have been patiently waiting for it for 35 years. All Ugandans want is a process as clean and fair as possible. To stop this, You must have powerful reasons.
The issue of COVID 19 cant be compared to our election history. It is a pandemic that is curable, and soon, it will be history. We know that at an international level, breakthroughs are being made to arrest it. Therefore, while we remain conscious, we can not live in fear permanently. COVID will catch you, don’t go to work, don’t go to pray, don’t do this, don’t do a normal election is not sustainable.
Election outcomes led to the death of thousands of people in Luwero, up to now Luwero has not recovered, yet even families that lost people to AIDS have slowly recovered. So the cost of a vote, badly managed could be too huge for us.
I want to ask the Electoral Commission a few things:
1. How are you going to enforce this proposal? Because people are going to defy it. Do you have the capacity to stop public campaigns in every village of Uganda with numerous candidates without blowing up this country?
2. Do you think we can hold an election without risks? Do you think COVID is riskier than a bad election? There will always be a trade-off of risks. Some risks are heavier than others.
I, therefore, propose that we instead dialogue with all different parties and have a workable balance before its too late.
I also think government’s approach towards the COVID 19 pandemic needs to be revised to a proactive style, let’s be alert, let face this disease, we can’t hide in our caves all the time. In addition, I have talked to people in arcades, they are suffering. We can’t pray, why? Can’t churches practice social distancing? Our children are losing time at home, why? We must be proactive. Let’s prepare to face this disease head-on. This approach of hiding is for the generation of cowards.”
