Electoral Commission Summons Bobi Wine & Amuriat Over Breaching of Covid-19 Guidelines

The Uganda Electoral Commission has summoned National Unity Platform presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine and Forum for Democratic Change’s presidential flag bearer, Patrick Oboi Amuriat over continued breach of guidelines against the spread of COVID-19.

In two separate letters dated December 10, 2020, the EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama noted that both Kyagulanyi and Amuriat have persistently breached the elections guidelines and the standard operation procedures to control the spread of the Coronavirus.

Byabakama noted that the EC came up with these guidelines after consulting the Ministry of Health and tasked all 2021 candidates to adhere to them in order to protect the citizens of the country for COVID-19, including the candidates.

“In spite of the existence of the said guidelines, you have have continued to ignore and/or negated observing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by holding mass rallies in contravention of the established Standard Operating Procedures intended to control the spread of the Coronavirus, thereby risking the lives of the people,” Byabakama noted in the letter.

The EC has now summoned both Kyagulanyi and Amuriat on Monday, December 14, 2020 at 10 and 11am respectively.

According to the EC guidelines on the 2021 electoral campaigns, candidates were tasked to have only 200 people at their campaign venues, with social distancing, masks and without processions.

Kyagulanyi and Amuriat have both been seen addressing hundreds of their supporters in football pitches and roads, with total disregard of the standard operating procedures.

In his defence, while appearing on CNN early this week, Kyagulanyi said that campaigns are emotive and that they asked the Electoral Commission to postpone the elections until when it is safe.

Robert Kyagulanyi to our headquarters in Kampala over persistent breach of election guidelines/standard operation procedures to control the spread of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/8FhkdNpRpk

— Electoral Commission- Uganda (@UgandaEC) December 11, 2020

Letter inviting @FDCOfficial1 Presidential candidate Patrick Amuriat to our headquarters in Kampala over persistent breach of election guidelines/standard operation procedures to control the spread of COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/ZUFfsWu9rL

— Electoral Commission- Uganda (@UgandaEC) December 11, 2020