PATRICK AMURIAT OBOI REJECTS ELECTION RESULTS

Similarly, the Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) presidential candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, has also rejected the outcomes of the recently concluded election, which he has described as rigged.

Amuriat received a mere 3.24% of the votes, amounting to 323,536 ballots cast, in the election held last Thursday.

He was placed third, behind Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu of the National Unity Platform, who received 34.83% of the votes (3.4 million) and President Yoweri Museveni, who received 5.8 million votes.

In a press conference held today, Amuriat asserted that the electoral outcomes had been predetermined and exhibited characteristics of “scientific machinations.” He further stated, “I want to say that this election was a sham, a total failure of democracy, totally deceitful to the Ugandan population, robbery at its best, and something that did not take into account the processes leading to it.”

We empathise with Patrick Amuriat’s predicament. However, he should also accept responsibility for the ill-considered tactics he employed, including walking barefoot and presenting himself as a villager. It would have been prudent for him to have devoted more time to studying the Ugandan electorate, as it is unlikely that a candidate who is unkempt and lacks footwear would have been elected president.

The FDC candidate highlighted that from the outset, security personnel obstructed his ability to engage with voters, and that he was subjected to physical violence and prevented from accessing the majority of campaign platforms.

“I was obliged to appear before magistrates on 13 occasions, whereas my opponent, Mr. Museveni, was able to travel freely throughout the country.” One such instance, as may be recalled, involved being taken to a court in Kakumiro after dusk at 7:30 p.m. One might be forgiven for questioning whether the polls were, in fact, credible.

Furthermore, Amuriat articulated reservations regarding the manner in which the poll results were disseminated.

A similar situation occurred with Ekanya of Tororo, whose results were just announced yesterday (Sunday). He inquired as to how it was possible for 72 polling stations, in comparison to the over 32,000 polling stations, to take over 48 hours to be announced.

A list compiled by the FDC reveals that the affected contestants include William Nzoghu of Busongora North, Obongi’s Hassan Kaps Fungaroo and James Emaju, the aspiring Kasilo County Legislator.

However, when he was asked to elucidate the circumstances that enabled FDC to secure electoral victories in areas traditionally associated with the National Resistance Movement (NRM), he alluded to the role of fortuitous circumstances and internal disquiet within the NRM.

Of the thirty-two candidates who were successful in gaining a seat in parliament, the FDC achieved its first victory in Rubabo County, while Geoffrey Ekanya was re-elected to Totoro County North.

Nevertheless, Amuriat has indicated that FDC will be seeking to have the results overturned through the judicial process.