NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 13- As a person who has an interest in how the region works, I have followed keenly the election season in Eastern Africa, and I feel a pattern has always followed the sister countries in how the government of the day treats the opposition.
Tanzania is just fresh from an election and in a few hours, Uganda too gets to decide whether to rest the reign of Yoweri Museveni or to grant him five more years to ‘serve’ the people.
Kenya too is a year and a half away from its 2022 elections though all indicators are that early campaigns have kicked off.
But I digress…let’s not take the spotlight away from the lady of the day, Uganda.
Many political pundits may say that politically, Kenya has made many steps ahead of her neighbour but that notwithstanding, Uganda is at a place where Kenya was in 2002.
After many years of having a single individual at the helm of power, many have tried to convince the voters of a need for change, in a bid to start from a clean slate.
On January 12, I listened to President Museveni who is famously known as M7.
He gave an account of his track record while promising ‘better service’ delivery once reelected.
He used the opportunity to warn any persons seeking to scuttle the elections of direct consequences and stated that the security personnel would ensure that all voters get a chance to cast their votes.
On the other side, his long-serving personal doctor turned foe Dr. Col Rtd. Kizza Besigye chose to address the nation in a language that was once considered that of oppression by security forces, Swahili.
He asked voters to secure their votes and stay at the polling centre to protect the vote.
Besigye stated in his argument that the law protects his appeal even as he warned the state against using state machinery to curtail the rights and freedom of its citizens.
Three Presidential candidates sitting side by side agree with Besigye as they all urged voters to turn out in large numbers to cast their votes.
Ugandan electoral commission puts the figures at 16 million voters expected to turn up Thursday. There are 18 million registered voters.
As Kenya we can pray for the best and hope that the will of the people is respected, and it prevails.
Uganda has had many years of co-existence with Kenya and depends significantly on Kenya to get its economy moving.
That said, many have watched the events building up to the elections and have been left with differing opinions on how the head of state has used his power against those seeking to unseat him.
Having tried to understand it all, I have had conversations with Ugandan citizens and Kenyans living and working in Uganda.
Their opinions differ; some say it is time to end the 30-year reign of Yoweri Museveni whose ascent to power in 1986 wasn’t through the ballot.
However, over the years, the country has enjoyed relative peace with the economy steadily on the rise.
But some say that he is the best thing that has happened to the pearl of Africa, he has just been misunderstood and his heart is in the right place.
Those who have publicly criticized him have faced the full force of the law.
Will Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine take the day?
Over the years he has turned from a Rasta, weed-smoking rapper to a politician looking dapper in designer suits.
From the slums of kyadondo East to the streets of NYC, London, Milan and the world, the young ‘ghetto president’ who is running on a NUP seeks to ascend to the seat of power.
He has had many struggles but only time will tell.
Museveni will be facing off 10 other candidates.
The writer, Laillah Mohammed, is a member of the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya-CJAK. She is a practicing journalist with NTV-Kenya and based in Nairobi, Kenya.
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