Besigye will be defeated in the open
By Ofwono Opondo
6th Oct 2010
We have read the mischievous tough speech to UK Ugandan FDC or opposition audience by Kizza Besigye that IPC will declare its own final results in 2011 because as he claims, he does not expect fair play by the electoral commission or NRM.
Firstly, NRM would like to assure your audience that under the existing laws and procedures, voting, counting, tallying and announcing of results including winners and losers are done in the open after polls close at 5pm Uganda time (GMT).
So Mr. Besigye is not saying anything new in this. Indeed Ugandan law permits candidates or their agents, media, and election observers into tallying rooms to monitor whatever goes on and no one least NRM has intention of cheating FDC or opposition. But this does not mean there may not be any form of irregularity and it should not be placed at the doorstep of NRM because quite often NRM suffers the same if not greater election injuries but we prefer the right peaceful procedure to resolve them.
Besigye will be defeated in the open at many polling stations, this time for the last time so that he can hopefully tell his mother when they meet again and I can assure your audience that once that defeat happens in the open and transparently, Besigye will have no capacity to mobilise anyone for violent reactions.
Already FDC is courting old bulls and cows like Cecilia Ogwal who can neither give healthy calves nor sufficient milk. FDC leaders including seven MPs have opted on their own to debunk FDC either for NRM or as independent candidates.
It is from this that Besigye should be reading his text to the UK as well as Ugandan audience. We know that FDC, IPC and all opposition groups are fighting to put some form of parliamentary candidates all over the place in order to satisfy further donor funding.
But we can assure you that many will not make it. While parliamentary seats may change hands between parties, NRM will retain the present majority of over two thirds. In fact FDC is in real trouble in Acholi, West Nile, and Teso.
In a few places in Buganda it is fighting with DP to NRM’s advantage. We are sure FDC in unlikely to get any significant in-roads, votes and seats in Buganda, Busoga, Bugisu, Bukedi, and western Uganda where presently the party is actually very thin. Over-all, NRM, and Museveni in particular, will make a far better showing above the 17% of 2006 in Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile. This is not mere politik, it is real. Watch this space! END. If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent. Never miss out again!
The writer is the NRM Spokesperson and member of the NRM election strategy team.
