20101204
Monitor

Electoral Commission Chairman, Eng. Dr Badru M. Kiggundu has issued a stern warning to election observers to desist from making statements which undermine the credibility of the commission and also likely to cause chaos.

"These people [Observers] should refrain themselves form making statements which they cannot substantiate. If they continue to undermine the guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission while exercising their mandate, the commission will have no alternative but cancel their accreditations" Eng Kiggundu warned.

Presenting a paper, "conducting a free and fair elections; the state of preparedness of the electoral commission" at the 5th annual National Justice and order forum, held at Mbale resort hotel, Mr Kiggundu said many observers make unsubstantiated statements. He urged them to behave responsibility in the runner up to the February18 general elections in order to avoid election violence.

Laughing matter

Mr Kiggundu said to have a free and fair elections, the necessary conditions have to be in place if all the stakeholders like the E.C, government, legislature, judiciary, security agancies, political parties and general public get involved.

"All along the commission has been blamed for failing to organise free and fair elections. Others have even demanded that Kiggundu should not head the commission; I go where?" he said, "I was dully appointed according to the laws but when I hear people demonstrating on streets against me, I only laugh at them."

The opposition activists have in the past demonstrated against the Kiggundu led Commission saying it biased. UPC presidential candidate and former UN top diplomat Olara Otunnu is collecting five million signatures from the public to be used in the court battles against the EC. Mr Otunnu argues that the Kiggundu led Commission was incapable of delivering free and fair elections because it was President Museveni's walking stick.

At the Mbale workshop, Mr Kiggundu commended the government and the donors for the timely release of funds for elections.