With the 2016 polls around the corner, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has been warned over any kind of politicking. The warning was sounded at the closure of the two day Uganda People’s Defense Airforce (UPDAF) training on Human rights, democracy and elections on Tuesday and was conducted by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC). The Deputy UPDAF Commander Col. Charles Lwanga Lutaaya appealed to all army officers to be careful during the election season and avoid campaigning for any candidate.
“We (UPDF) are bound by the constitution to be non-partisan and disciplined in our duties. I would like to urge all UPDF officers to shun any kind of politicking and concentrate on keeping the country safe.” Col. Lwanga stated.
Col. Lwanga urged the UPDAF Officers to be ambassadors of Human rights in addition to spreading the acquired knowledge to their different communities.
The Director Regional Services at the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Byonabye Kamadi urged leaders at all levels not to forget those who don’t vote for them.
“Elections are an essential component of democratic governance and we as the UHRC have set up an early warning and early response mechanism and among others we are tasked with civic Education, voter update, registration and complaint resolution after elections” Kamadi said.
He added:
Elections manage political contestations and are a means of allocating state power peacefully. Elections also confer legitimacy on the winner.
However the Director Human Rights in the UPDF Col. Charles Wacha stated that the UPDF is mandated by the constitution to help police quell any violence that may arise during and after the elections.
“The UPDF can intervene in quelling election violence only when the police is overwhelmed and the Military police has been fully trained on Human rights and will be on standby to assist the Uganda police force” Col. Wacha stated.
Secretary UHRC Gordon Mwesigye and UHRC Regional Head (Central) Wilfred Asiimwe graced the two day training which was held at the Entebbe UPDAF Airbase.
