Covid-19: in Uganda, the electoral campaign disrupted by the pandemic

(illustration) In Uganda, a traveler wears a mask as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, as he waits for an intercity bus at Namirembe Bus Park in Kampala, Uganda, June 4, 2020, the first day of the opening of public transport.

Badru KATUMBA / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

In Uganda, less than a month before the presidential election scheduled for January 14, the electoral commission announced this Saturday, December 26 the suspension of political meetings in several districts of the country, including that of the capital Kampala.

A decision justified by the authorities' desire to prevent the spread of Covid-19, while the epidemic is accelerating in the country which has more than 35,000 cases and 245 deaths. 

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with our correspondent in Kampala,

Lucie Mouillaud

According to the electoral commission, meetings are suspended in cities and districts categorized by the Ministry of Health as areas of high spread of Covid-19.

Among the 13 localities concerned, the capital Kampala and the large towns of Mbarara, Kasese and Mukono. 

Political rallies were already limited to 200 people since the start of the election campaign in November.

A rule that was not respected by some candidates, deplored the commission in its press release. 

The suspension of meetings in part of the territory affects the schedules of President Yoweri Museveni and opposition candidate Bobi Wine, who are both due to travel to Kampala in the coming days.

According to Emmanuel Dombo, head of communication for the party of the Head of State, the Movement for National Resistance, videoconferences are being organized to replace the canceled events.

It is only prudent that restrictions on physical campaigns by the EC is obeyed because # COVID19 infections will go out of hand.

@NRMOnline is ready to follow and I hope other parts do the same.

#SecuringYourFuture

- Emmanuel Dombo (@emmanuel_dombo) December 26, 2020

Bobi Wine denounces a "maneuver"

For his part, Bobi Wine denounced on Twitter a maneuver to prevent him from meeting his supporters in the localities targeted by the measure.

In real sense, Gen.

Museveni has tried everything humanly possible to block us from holding meetings in Kampala, Masaka and Wakiso!

This has been the pattern for the last 3 years.

The other districts are added here to sanitize their cowardly actions!

#WeAreRemovingADictator pic.twitter.com/0fOruVVECR

- BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 26, 2020

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