Three prominent United States of America Senators have criticised Uganda’s general elections held on January 15th describing them as shallow, staged to legitimise President Yoweri Museveni’s Seventh term and a setback for democracy calling on strict accountability measures from the U.S government.
The trio who include Senator Jim Risch, the chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Cory Booker a Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy have tasked their government to demand for immediate action on the disputed polls from it’s security partner in the East African region.
Senator Jim Risch, has in a statement compared Uganda’s elections to that of Tanzania calling it a hollow exercise, staged to legitimize President Yoweri Museveni’s seventh term and four decades in power.
“But even more so than Tanzania, Uganda is a key regional security partner to the United States. Yet, its ruling regime prioritizes domestic control through political violence, abductions, imprisonment, intimidation of opponents, and the misuse of state resources to maintain its grip on power. Uganda is also linked to destabilizing regional activities, including in South Sudan- making the regime an increasingly problematic exporter of instability” he said.
Mr Risch urged the Trump administration to reassess it’s security relationship with Uganda as it continues to pursue commercial and security gains in the region.
“As with Tanzania, the administration should reassess the U.S. security relationship with Uganda, beginning with a review of whether sanctions are warranted under existing authorities against specific actors, including General Muhoozi Kainerugaba” he said.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Cory Booker, in a joint statement described the January 15th polls as another blow to the pursuit of democracy in Uganda.
Both Senators noted that the elections mirrored previous electoral contests in Uganda where the playing field was skewed, and the results decided well before the actual vote.
“We have seen attacks on journalists, the jailing of opposition figures, the tear gassing of citizens assembling peacefully, reported abductions of opposition members and candidates, and reports of violence by security forces in the weeks and months leading up to these elections” the statement read.
The senators noted that the last-minute internet blackout throughout the country further undermined the citizens’ rights to freedom of expression enshrined in Uganda’s constitution and voiced concern over CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s continued threats against opposition figures including Bobi Wine.
“It is imperative that opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and human rights activist Dr. Sarah Bireete are released from jail immediately and the operating permits for civil society organizations are restored. Ugandan authorities must uphold their obligations to democracy, transparency, human rights and dignity for their fellow citizens” the statement read.
The senators have since tasked the Trump Administration and U.S. State Department to use all tools available, including a review of U.S. security assistance, to hold individuals in Uganda accountable for undermining democratic principles and endangering the lives of citizens seeking to freely participate in the election.
