In Uganda, less than a month before the January 14 presidential election, the Electoral Commission announced this Saturday, December 26, the suspension of political meetings in several districts of the country, including the capital Kampala. A decision justified by the authorities’ desire to avoid the spread of Covid-19, while the epidemic is accelerating in the country, which has more than 35,000 cases and 245 deaths.
with our correspondent in Kampala, Lucie Mouillaud
According to the Election Commission, meetings suspended in cities and districts are categorized by the Ministry of Health as high-spread areas of Covid-19. Among the 13 affected localities, the capital Kampala and the major cities of Mbarara, Kasese and Mukono.
Political rallies were already limited to 200 people since the start of the election campaign in November. A rule that was not respected by some candidates, the Commission regretted in its press release.
Suspension of meetings in part of the territory is affecting the schedules of President Yoweri Museven and opposition candidate Bobi Wine, both of whom will travel to Kampala in the coming days.
According to Emmanuel Dombo, head of communications for the party of the head of state, the movement for national resistance, video conferencing is being organized to replace the canceled events.
Bobi Wine condemns a “maneuver”
For his part, Bobi Wine on Twitter condemned a maneuver to prevent him from meeting his supporters at the locations targeted by the measure.
In a real sense, General Museveni has tried everything humanly possible to prevent us from holding meetings in Kampala, Masaka and Wakiso! This has been the pattern for the last 3 years. The other districts are added here to clean up their sweeping actions! #WeAreRemovingADictator pic.twitter.com/0fOruVVECR
– BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 26, 2020
.
