By Spy Uganda
Mbale: As the nation heads to 2020/2021 general elections, politicians have continued to flout the COVID-19 guidelines that were set by the government including wearing face masks and observing social distance among others.
Just few days after a video circulated on various media platforms showing Minister Of Health Dr.Jane Ruth Aceng holding a political rally in Lira district without observing COVID-19 guidelines, another video has surrounded social media showing NRM Vice chairman Eastern Region and President Museveni political mobilizer Captain George Michael Mukula holding a political rally in the church despite their continuous closure.
The video has since aroused public concern over the usage of Church premises for political meetings while places of worship remain closed due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
In the video clip, Mukula who is aspiring to retain his position as NRM Vice Chairman for Eastern region is heard telling the congregants how they have reaped big in having Mbale municipality elevated to city status something he attributed to his party Chairman President Museveni.
Among the opposition members that have been touched by the video is the aspiring Presidential contender Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu who tweeted “The Museveni regime makes past despots look like amateurs! After banning all church meetings & political meetings on account of #COVID, Museveni’s campaign agents are using church buildings to hold political meetings to campaign for him. We shan’t relent until all of us are equal”
Watch The Video
The Museveni regime makes past despots look like amateurs! After banning all church meetings & political meetings on account of #COVID, Museveni's campaign agents are using church buildings to hold political meetings to campaign for him. We shan't relent until all of us are equal pic.twitter.com/5cYiol4jvW
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) July 20, 2020
Politicians and their agents continuous flouting of set COVID-19 guidelines comes after Electoral commission’s declaration to digital campaigns that banned public campaign rallies and imposed a requirement that all candidates in the forthcoming local government, parliamentary and presidential elections shall ‘campaign digitally’.
While appearing in several public forums to defend the exercise that some have dubbed a ‘scientific election’, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, the EC chairperson, stressed that Article 61(2) of the Constitution requires the EC to hold the forthcoming elections within the first 30 days of the last 120 days before the expiration of the current term of the president, notwithstanding the government’s anti-coronavirus measures which, among others, ban public meetings, including political rallies.
However there is still doubts whether the above will be observed basing on the examples of some members in the political environment who have been noticed flouting both EC roadmap and Ministry Of Health guidelines mearnt to curb the virus.
Among the few seen are Hon Jane Ruth Aceng the hoping Lira Municipality MP, Minister Benny Namugwanya on the other hand addressed hundreds of people at a rally in Madudu in Mubende district.
