In a statement today, the UN advised its foreign staff to stock enough food stuffs and water in their houses that can take them reasonable days in case the situation after elections becomes tense.

Uganda Police Chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura

The Organization has also advised its local staff not to engage in any partisan politics and shun displaying pictures of candidates on their properties.

However the Chairman Electoral Commission Badru Kihggundu says that according to the arrangements in place; there no need to anticipate violent elections.

The Inspector General Police Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura also assures the UN and all citizens of Uganda that the elections will be peaceful.

Kayihura explains that compared to the previous two elections, this year’s campaigns are more peaceful and he hopes the post-elections will be the same.

However the Inspector general of Police says that everyone should be conscious for any eventualities.

Ultimate Media

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Many Ugandans are praying for peaceful presidential elections, and there is no reason why we cannot have them. The 2011 presidential elections have eight candidates in the race and naturally their supporters want them to win.

However, to achieve this, Uganda doesn’t have to experience a repeat performance of Kenya’s 2007-08 post-election violence in which 1,500 people lost their lives. Neither do we want an encore of the September 2009 riots that shook urban Buganda. In both episodes of violence, tribalism became a major issue.

However, tribalism should never be a factor in politics. Obviously, only one candidate will win, but that shouldn’t necessarily mean that the other seven candidates will be ‘losers’ because embarking on a presidential campaign in itself is a massive enterprise that requires a lot of courage.

I would, therefore, like to urge the Ugandan electorate to refrain from violence and accept the final poll results that will be officially announced by the Electoral Commission, even if the presidential candidate of their choice does not win.

The post Uganda should avoid violence in 2011 general elections first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Members of the infamous Kiboko Squad (DM)

Hardly a week back, the Kiboko Squad reappeared on the Ugandan political scene after about three years and descended on demonstrators led by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) with sticks and caned various demonstrators. The Uganda Police has since claimed ignorance of the group.

The Member of Parliament for Bugweri, Abudu Katuntu told Parliament that Kivejinja should not pretend to be ignorant of the Squad yet in 2006 the minister used the same squad to intimidate voters in Bugweri.

Katuntu says the Uganda courts proved it to be true with photos evidence showing groups of people similar to the Kiboko squad deployed by Kivenjija to intimidate Bugweri voters into voting the minister.

Kampala Central MP Elias Lukwago says the Uganda Internal Affairs Ministry should come and give a reasonable explanation to the country regarding the existence and operations of the Kiboko Squad to show its seriousness in eliminating such illegal armed groups from the country ahead of the 2011 Uganda elections.

By Zacharia Tiberondwa

Ultimate Media

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