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MPs Want House To Debate Lessons Uganda Can Learn From Kenya Elections

Kenya’s President-elect, William Ruto

 

A section of legislators have asked Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to avail them time on the order paper to debate lessons Uganda can learn from the recently concluded general elections in Kenya.

The request was made by Stephen Baka (Bukooli Central) who asked if the top management of Parliament can avail time on the order paper to ensure that lawmakers debate exhaustively lessons Ugandan can learn from Kenya.

“Kenyan elections are important not only for East Africa but Africa as a whole. Wouldn’t it procedurally right to create time on the order paper on another day such that we extensively lessons learned because there are many people to talk about,” said Baka.

However, Deputy Speaker said there is need to consult with the Executive to guide on how such a debate could be held because Parliament may not be in control of some statements lawmakers will make, which would put Uganda in a diplomatic crisis.

“As presiding officers, we shall have to look at it because we have to consult whether we can be able to discuss issues of another country beyond congratulations. We have to be very conscious because if the language goes beyond the limits of diplomacy, we may end up doing more harm than good,” said Tayebwa.

The request to hold a debate on the Kenya elections followed a congratulatory message  made by the Deputy Speaker to the newly elected President of Kenya, William Ruto upon his election and called on the people aggrieved by the results of the elections to seek redress before courts of law in order to avoid a repeat of the post election violence that rocked the nation in 2007.

The Deputy Speaker said, “Our prayer is that, everyone who isn’t satisfied with the outcomes of the elections so that we can have peace in the region because what happens with our neighbours has a very big impact on us, so we pray the whole process concludes very peacefully. And that would be setting a good example on how indeed a credible election can be held.”

Tayebwa made the remarks in his communication during the plenary sitting where he thanked Ruto for his reconciliatory speech in which he alluded to working for all Kenyans, saying such choice of words are critical at ensuring the East African Community doesn’t suffer effects of any violence that would break out in East Africa’s biggest economy.

It should be recalled that yesterday, Wafula Chebukati, Electoral Commission Chairman, pronounced Deputy President William Ruto as the winner of Kenya’s presidential election, after garnering 50.5% of the votes, beating his arch-rival Raila Odinga who scored 48.8% of the votes.

The announcement followed a dramatic press briefing held by four of the seven Commissioners on the IEBC who distanced themselves from the hotly contested elections, describing the Chebukati led results as opaque, which drama followed earlier allegations by Odinga’s team that alleged irregularities and mismanagement in the election.

John Baptist Nambeshe, Chief Opposition Whip, weighed into the debate by making comparison between the electoral process in Kenya and Uganda, pointing out that whereas Kenyan media was allowed to stream live all results being channeled through the public portal which showed that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was indeed independent unlike in other neighbouring nations like Uganda, where the media didn’t have the same privilege.

“And indeed, the IEBC has proved that they are indeed independent because they channeled all the results from the polling stations to the public portal unlike in the neighbouring countries, including ours.

In the media, there was no tear gas, no torture there were no anti-riot police like in some countries where soldiers on the streets would be more than nurses in Mulago.

Patrick Nsamba (Kassanda North) said that Uganda has so many lessons to learn from Kenya’s elections arguing that in Kenya, the army was deployed on the streets, but the soldiers weren’t kidnapping people like the case was in Uganda.

He said, “When you look at other institution it was working for the people of Kenya. As Ugandans we may never burry heads under the sand, we must ensure that every institution knows there are people.”

Sarah Opendi (DWR Tororo), who is also Chairperson Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) thanked Kenyans for increasing number of female electoral leaders, but Deputy Speaker pointed out Kenya picked that lesson from Uganda.

The development comes at the time Parliament is slated to debate a report of the committee on human rights on the state of human rights and human rights violations in Uganda from January 2020  to-date.

The report followed walk out protests made by the Opposition, accusing security forces of kidnaps, imprisonment without trial, killing of members aligned to the opposition during the 2021 electoral period.

The Committee report revealed that figures from Uganda Human Rights Commission indicate that since January 2020 to date, the Commission recorded 1,205 complaints of alleged human rights, violations.

Fox Odoi, Chairperson Human Rights Committee revealed that the alleged human rights violations were in part due to; the enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) related to the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19 and Political activities related to the January 202l General Elections.

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