WHO IS TO BLAME FOR ARUU NORTH COUNTRY BY-ELECTION?

BY CHRISPY KAHERU

IN KAMPALA

It is not a matter of court nullifying elections and asking the EC to conduct by-elections.  I think we need to get to the bottom of why many elections are being nullified.

For this particular election, the investigative arm of government should be able to tell us who is individually culpable or which institution should suffer the pinch of calling another election.

If this election is arising because security agents did a bad job at protecting the voting material prior to the re-count that court had ordered, let the sloppy individuals within the security be named and punished. If it is because the candidates did not restrain their supporters, let the country know and let the candidates and the supporters who destroyed the voting material bear the brunt. If it was because the EC faltered in its work, let it feel the pinch as an institution.

We can’t keep sweeping electoral malpractices under the carpet of by-elections.  Someone should know that if they do a bad job, they will surely bear the consequences individually.

A by-election touches on the taxpayer’s money.  Taxpayers should not be casually bearing the brunt of mistakes committed by other people. Those who directly occasion a by-election should pay for it and / or at least be individually reprimanded.