The Whisper

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Opposition also rigs elections – EC

In the last one week, the opposition has levelled harsh criticism at the Electoral Commission for its handling of past elections which they say were stolen by the ruling NRM.

In addressing that criticism, Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Badru Kiggundu said in a recent interview that there was no perfect election anywhere in the world.

He also claimed the opposition steals elections.

In a recent interview with The Observer, former FDC president, Dr Kizza Besigye, said it was impossible to beat Museveni because he ?organizes, supervises and controls? the elections – which was an obvious attack on the EC. Other opposition leaders have since agreed with Besigye.

But appearing on the Morning Breeze Show on NBS TV on Friday, Kiggundu dismissed the opposition?s assertions as mere politicking.

?That is their [opposition leaders] opinions. You see, opinion is the cheapest commodity in the world. I can?t control the opinion of anybody,? Kiggundu said.

Though he conceded the EC encountered challenges in previous elections, Kiggundu refused to accept that past elections were ?a sham?. He advised opposition leaders to use this time to work their way into the next elections instead of blaming the commission.

?There is no election anywhere in the world that is 100 per cent perfect,? he said adding, ?But we shall continue putting in place reforms until we reach a perfect election.?

Asked what would happen if the opposition boycotted the 2016 presidential elections, Kiggundu said: ?Whether they shun the election or not, there will be elections that day.?

Kiggundu strongly denied that the EC had been stealing elections for President Museveni and his NRM regime. He said it was the opposition that ?steals elections?. His officials knew how the opposition rigged elections although he would not to go into specifics.

?During presidential campaigns, according to the law, campaigns should stop at 6pm, and if I bring my data, many candidates flouted that particular provision of the law, but the president was not one of them,? he said.

Frivolous

However, FDC spokesman and Bukooli Central MP Wafula Oguttu says Kiggundu spoke like an NRM cadre.

?That is frivolous; can police allow any opposition candidate to campaign beyond the set time? It was instead President Museveni who used to campaign beyond 6pm,? Oguttusaid. He said he recalls one time when the president was in Busoga and campaigned up to midnight.

Independence

Opposition political parties and civil society organizations have been calling for reforms in the electoral law. Among the reforms, the opposition wants EC to be renamed the Independent Electoral Commission and amend the way the chairperson and commissioners are appointed.

But Kiggundu said the commission was independent. For instance, he said, when the executive didn?t want Col Dr Kizza Besigye nominated for the 2006 presidential elections, the commission asserted itself and nominated Besigye against the wishes of the executive.

He said renaming the commission could not guarantee independence for the commission.

?Being independent doesn?t mean you should be an island,? he said, stressing the commission depends on the government for funding and parliament for electoral laws.