European Union is concerned over the high level of commercialization of politics in election campaigns as the country is heading for elections in 2016. The concern was raised by the head of the European Union, Ambassador Kristian Schmidt, while meeting the deputy speaker of parliament Jacob Oulanyah as the EU delegation is in the country to assess whether to deploy fully-fledged observation Mission for the 2016 general elections.

Ambassador Kristian said that he has talked to many members of parliament but their concern is the increasing commercialization of politics and facilitation for elections. He asked whether this new scope of commercialization of politics will have a solution; He also questioned whether government has a code of conduct on how much someone can spend in politics.

The deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah agreed with the European Union delegation concern, noting that commercialization of politics in the country is worse. He said that some people in politics sale their houses, borrow money from banks and when they lose elections they live in bad shape financially. He said there are situation of people who do not spend a coin, those who spend little and those who spend much money in elections , adding that there is a  greatest failure of regulating electoral financing.

He however said that there are some people who do not print posters and no money used but they win elations more than once. He said that will be glad if the European Union send in Uganda the observer mission for 2016 general elections as the country desire for free and fair election.

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The candidates in Jinja Municipality MP by election campaigns have warned the government against militarization of campaigns.

Paul Mwiru, the FDC candidate in the race says that the government has militarized campaigns and added that winning polls inUgandaon an opposition ticket is harder than passing through the hole of a needle.

Mwiru claims that the politics in Jinja is over militarized. He says that the government paramilitary groups of Kalangala Action Plan and Kibooko squad are deployed to beat opposition supporters.

He claims that the paramilitary groups are under a watchful eye of the police. Mwiru was addressing a rally at Jinja central market today.

Mwiru warned that the elections in Jinja are destined to be chaotic if the exercise remains militarized. The seat went vacant after the court nullified the election victory of NRM candidate in the race, Nathan Igime Nabeta.

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The race was won by DP’s Brenda Nabukenya. It is said that Jacob Asiimwe got 900 million shillings from statehouse to be used in parliamentary by election campaigns. But instead he turned the money to fund the parliamentary campaigns of his wife, Ms Asiimwe, who was the third runner up in the polls.

A source says that Museveni is furious because if Jacob had persuaded his wife to quit the polls, may be Nalwanga wouldn’t have lost the polls to DP’s Nabukenya.

Jacob Asiimwe has been suspended indefinitely until the president will decide to forgive him.  During his suspension, he will not be accepted to earn salary from statehouse.

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The Judiciary publicist, Elias Kisawuzi read the ruling, made by five judges led by the Deputy Chief Justice, Mpagi Bahigeine.

According to the ruling the petitioners had failed to adduce satisfactory evidence that the money was expended without approval.

The judges said they acted on credible evidence adduced before them and did not indulge in speculation or attractive reasoning.

The petitioners who include Hon. Beatrice Anywar, Action Aid Uganda, Forum for Women in Democracy Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), and Centre for Public Interest Law had sought declarations that the 20 million payments to each MP was unconstitutional, unlawful and had applied for orders that the 6.2 billion shillings be refunded by the recipients.

The petitioners contend that the money was a bribe by government to MPs to compel them to pass the abrupt supplementary budget during the campaign period.

The petitioners were represented by their lawyer Francis Gimara who later told journalists that they will have to first study and understand the judgment in detail before taking the next move.

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