Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna presented his report as EU Chief Election Observer on the Ugandan elections in the midst of mounting public unrest and political violence following the Presidential and Parliamentary elections held in February.

The result of the elections was not accepted by the Opposition who have made accusations of corrupt practices during the elections. Protesters took to the streets in violent protests, and the Opposition has organised walk-to-work protest marches which were broken up by the government security forces. There have also been reports that government security forces have made a series of violent arrests on Opposition leaders.

Prof Scicluna and the EU’s Ambassador to Uganda, Roberto Ridolfi, met with President Mouseveni who was re-elected for his fourth Presidential term since 1996. Prof Scicluna also held meetings with other Presidential candidates, opposition parties, the Uganda Electoral Commission, the Ugandan Human Rights Commission, the Inspector General of Police, church leaders, as well as non-government organisations concerned with electoral reform and democracy-building in Uganda.

Following his meeting with Prof Scicluna, a Presidential office press release stated that President Mouseveni “promised to address any anomalies that could have been observed by the EU observer mission in subsequent elections in Uganda,”

The Report’s recommendations were drawn up to address what Prof Scicluna described directly after the elections as “avoidable administrative and logistical failures”. The recommendations include reform to the Electoral Commission and to the state media and broadcasting councils, changes to the voter registration system including the creation of a new register, greater financial accountability during campaigning, and a code of conduct which commits all stakeholders to non-violence and the prevention of intimidation.

Prof Scicluna said: “Our hope is that these recommendations will serve as an agenda for dialogue involving all stakeholders in Uganda’s democratic process. We believe it is important that this dialogue should start sooner rather than later.”

“I am pleased that President Mouseveni has promised to address these shortcomings in Uganda’s politics. We in the EU must now ensure that his words are matched by actions.”

Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna presented his report as EU Chief Election Observer on the Ugandan elections in the midst of mounting public unrest and political violence following the Presidential and Parliamentary elections held in February.

The result of the elections was not accepted by the Opposition who have made accusations of corrupt practices during the elections. Protesters took to the streets in violent protests, and the Opposition has organised walk-to-work protest marches which were broken up by the government security forces. There have also been reports that government security forces have made a series of violent arrests on Opposition leaders.

Prof Scicluna and the EU’s Ambassador to Uganda, Roberto Ridolfi, met with President Mouseveni who was re-elected for his fourth Presidential term since 1996. Prof Scicluna also held meetings with other Presidential candidates, opposition parties, the Uganda Electoral Commission, the Ugandan Human Rights Commission, the Inspector General of Police, church leaders, as well as non-government organisations concerned with electoral reform and democracy-building in Uganda.

Following his meeting with Prof Scicluna, a Presidential office press release stated that President Mouseveni “promised to address any anomalies that could have been observed by the EU observer mission in subsequent elections in Uganda,”

The Report’s recommendations were drawn up to address what Prof Scicluna described directly after the elections as “avoidable administrative and logistical failures”. The recommendations include reform to the Electoral Commission and to the state media and broadcasting councils, changes to the voter registration system including the creation of a new register, greater financial accountability during campaigning, and a code of conduct which commits all stakeholders to non-violence and the prevention of intimidation.

Prof Scicluna said: “Our hope is that these recommendations will serve as an agenda for dialogue involving all stakeholders in Uganda’s democratic process. We believe it is important that this dialogue should start sooner rather than later.”

“I am pleased that President Mouseveni has promised to address these shortcomings in Uganda’s politics. We in the EU must now ensure that his words are matched by actions.”

Il-mexxejja politici fl-Uganda jaccettaw ir-Rapport Scicluna bhala bazi ghal djalogu

Waqt li fl-Uganda qed jizdied l-inkwiet u anke l-vjolenza politika wara protesti mill-Oppozizzjoni dwar ir-rizultat tal-elezzjonijiet presidenzjali u parlamentari li saru fi Frar li ghadda, l-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna, li ghal dawn l-elezzjonijiet kien l-Osservatur Ewlieni ta’ Missjoni mill-Unjoni Ewroopea, ipprezenta r-rapport tieghu dwarhom. Il-mexxejja politici fl-Uganda jqisu dan ir-Rapport bhala bazi ghal djalogu.

L-Oppozizzjoni ma accettatx ir-rizultat tal-elezzjonijiet u ghamlet akkuzi ta’ prattici korrotti waqt l-elezzjonijiet. Hafna nies nizlu jipprotestaw fit-toroq f’dawk li zviluppaw fi protesti vjolenti. L-Oppozizzjoni organizzat diversi azzjonijiet ta’ protesta, fosthom li n-nies imorru ghax-xoghol bil-mixi u la juzaw trasport pubbliku u lanqas privat. Forzi tas-sigurta ttantaw iharbtu din il-forma ta’ protesta u kien hemm rapporti li ghamlu ghadd ta’ arresti vjolenti ta’ mexxejja tal-Oppozizzjoni.

Prof Scicluna u l-Ambaxxatur tal-Unjoni Ewropea ghall-Uganda, Roberto Ridolfi, kellhom laqgha mal-President Ugandiz Mouseveni li rega’ gie elett biex imexxi l-pajjiz, ir-raba’ terminu tieghu mill-1996 ‘il hawn. Prof Scicluna kellu laqghat ukoll ma’ kandidati presidenzjali ohrajn; partiti tal-oppozizzjoni; mal-Kummissjoni Elettorali tal-Uganda; mal-Kummissjoni tad-Drittijiet Umani fl-Uganda,; mal-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija,; mexxejja tal-knisja kif ukoll ma’ organizzazzjonijiet non-governattivi li qeghdin jahdmu fi process ghal riforma elettorali u lejn aktar demokrazija fil-pajjiz.

Wara l-laqgha li kellu mal-Professur Scicluna, l-Ufficcju tal-President hareg stqarrija ghall-istampa li fiha qal li l-President Mouseveni “wieghed li se jkun qed jindirzza anomaliji li setghu kienu osservati mill-missjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea f’elezzjonijiet sussegwenti fl-Uganda.”

Ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet fir-Rapport saru biex ikunu indirzzati dawk li l-Prof Scicluna, ezattament wara l-votazzjoni ddeskriva bhala “fallimenti amministrattivi u logistici li setghu kienu evitati.”

Ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet jinkludu riformi fil-Kummissjoni Elettorali u fil-kunsilli tal-media u x-xandir statali; tibdil fis-sistema tar-registrazzjoni tal-votanti, inkluz il-holqien ta’ registru elttorali gdid; akkontabilita finanzjarja akbar waqt il-kampanja elettorali u kodici ta’ etika ghal mezzi preventivi kontra l-intimidazzjoni u li jorbot lil kull partecipant milli  jirrikorri ghall-vjolenza.

Prof Scicluna qal li “it-tama taghna hi li dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet jservu ta’ agenda ghal djalogu li fih ikun involut kull min qed jahdem fil-process demokratiku tal-Uganda. Nemmnu li hu importanti hafna li dan id-djalogu ghandu jibda kemm jista’ jkun malajr, illum qabel ghada. Ninsab kuntent li l-President Mouseveni wieghed li se jindirizza dawn in-nuqqasijiet fil-politika tal-Uganda. Min-naha taghna, fl-Unjoni Ewropea, irridu issa nassiguraw li kliemu jkun segwit b’azzjoni.”

Waqt li fl-Uganda qed jizdied l-inkwiet u anke l-vjolenza politika wara protesti mill-Oppozizzjoni dwar ir-rizultat tal-elezzjonijiet presidenzjali u parlamentari li saru fi Frar li ghadda, l-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna, li ghal dawn l-elezzjonijiet kien l-Osservatur Ewlieni ta’ Missjoni mill-Unjoni Ewroopea, ipprezenta r-rapport tieghu dwarhom. Il-mexxejja politici fl-Uganda jqisu dan ir-Rapport bhala bazi ghal djalogu.

L-Oppozizzjoni ma accettatx ir-rizultat tal-elezzjonijiet u ghamlet akkuzi ta’ prattici korrotti waqt l-elezzjonijiet. Hafna nies nizlu jipprotestaw fit-toroq f’dawk li zviluppaw fi protesti vjolenti. L-Oppozizzjoni organizzat diversi azzjonijiet ta’ protesta, fosthom li n-nies imorru ghax-xoghol bil-mixi u la juzaw trasport pubbliku u lanqas privat. Forzi tas-sigurta ttantaw iharbtu din il-forma ta’ protesta u kien hemm rapporti li ghamlu ghadd ta’ arresti vjolenti ta’ mexxejja tal-Oppozizzjoni.

Prof Scicluna u l-Ambaxxatur tal-Unjoni Ewropea ghall-Uganda, Roberto Ridolfi, kellhom laqgha mal-President Ugandiz Mouseveni li rega’ gie elett biex imexxi l-pajjiz, ir-raba’ terminu tieghu mill-1996 ‘il hawn. Prof Scicluna kellu laqghat ukoll ma’ kandidati presidenzjali ohrajn; partiti tal-oppozizzjoni; mal-Kummissjoni Elettorali tal-Uganda; mal-Kummissjoni tad-Drittijiet Umani fl-Uganda,; mal-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija,; mexxejja tal-knisja kif ukoll ma’ organizzazzjonijiet non-governattivi li qeghdin jahdmu fi process ghal riforma elettorali u lejn aktar demokrazija fil-pajjiz.

Wara l-laqgha li kellu mal-Professur Scicluna, l-Ufficcju tal-President hareg stqarrija ghall-istampa li fiha qal li l-President Mouseveni “wieghed li se jkun qed jindirzza anomaliji li setghu kienu osservati mill-missjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea f’elezzjonijiet sussegwenti fl-Uganda.”

Ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet fir-Rapport saru biex ikunu indirzzati dawk li l-Prof Scicluna, ezattament wara l-votazzjoni ddeskriva bhala “fallimenti amministrattivi u logistici li setghu kienu evitati.”

Ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet jinkludu riformi fil-Kummissjoni Elettorali u fil-kunsilli tal-media u x-xandir statali; tibdil fis-sistema tar-registrazzjoni tal-votanti, inkluz il-holqien ta’ registru elttorali gdid; akkontabilita finanzjarja akbar waqt il-kampanja elettorali u kodici ta’ etika ghal mezzi preventivi kontra l-intimidazzjoni u li jorbot lil kull partecipant milli jirrikorri ghall-vjolenza.

Prof Scicluna qal li “it-tama taghna hi li dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet jservu ta’ agenda ghal djalogu li fih ikun involut kull min qed jahdem fil-process demokratiku tal-Uganda. Nemmnu li hu importanti hafna li dan id-djalogu ghandu jibda kemm jista’ jkun malajr, illum qabel ghada. Ninsab kuntent li l-President Mouseveni wieghed li se jindirizza dawn in-nuqqasijiet fil-politika tal-Uganda. Min-naha taghna, fl-Unjoni Ewropea, irridu issa nassiguraw li kliemu jkun segwit b’azzjoni.”