By Dennis Otim

13^th Sept 2010

EC Boss Kiggundu

The embattled Electoral Commission Chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu threw all caution to the wind and attended the just concluded NRM Delegates conference at Mandela National Stadium.

Uganda Correspondent can reveal that the EC boss, who has been under consistent fire from opposition parties for his near open association with the ruling NRM party, was seen mingling happily among other NRM party faithful who had gathered at Namboole to elect their party flag bearers for the 2011 elections.

It’s not the first time that Kiggundu has, either by omission or commission, sent out strong hints suggesting that he may be a fully fledged NRM supporter or even secret activist.  A year or two ago, Kiggundu appeared in Parliament alongside the country’s top politicians wearing a yellow neck tie; a fact that prompted Dr. Besigye to take a swipe at him by saying “…I can see we are all wearing our party colours”.  Yellow is the official NRM party colour.

The opposition parties have always accused Kiggundu and the entire Electoral Commission as presently constituted of being incompetent at best and outright biased in favour of President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling NRM party at worst!

Dr. Kizza Besigye

FDC party President Dr. Kizza Besigye has previously warned of dire consequences if the elections are rigged again.  “Either we have a free and fair election or we will not have any election at all.  We shall not boycott any election, but we shall also not allow any fraudulent election to take place”, Dr. Besigye warned.

While announcing his party’s withdrawal from the opposition IPC alliance, UPC party President Dr. Olara Otunnu too said it would be pointless to participate in the 2001 elections knowing full well that it will be rigged.  He said UPC would only participate in the 2011 elections if Kiggundu’s EC is disbanded and the voters register cleaned of ghost voters.

Last week however, Kiggundu, the beleaguered EC boss, hit back at the critics calling for his resignation saying “…they are irresponsible people”.  He also, in the same statement, tried feverishly to re-assure the country that the 2011 general elections will be free and fair.

The Supreme of Uganda, for its part, has also twice ruled [2001 & 2006] that the national Electoral Commission under Kiggundu’s leadership had, and I quote, “…failed to conduct the elections in accordance with Presidential Elections Act and the Electoral Commission Act”.

The stakes at the 2011 elections are clearly at the highest they have ever been.  There is therefore no doubt that it needs to be made as free and fair as possible.  Anything short of that may plunge the country into bloodshed.  END. If is Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent.  Never miss out again!