EC chairperson summons Amuriat, Bobi Wine over election guidelines, Covid19 SOPs at campaign rallies

Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, the chairperson of Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC), has summoned presidential candidates Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA) of main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine of National Unity Platform (NUP) for flouting Covid19 Standard Operating procedures (SOPs).

Issued on December 10, Byabakama’s letters summoning Amuriat and Bobi Wine are titled ‘Persistent breach of election guidelines/standard operation procedures to control the spread of Corona Virus/Covid19 Pandemic.’

Byabakama and EC commissioners will meet Amuriat and Bobi Wine on December 14 at the electoral body’s headquarters in Kampala.

Bobi Wine is expected at 10am while Amuriat will face off with the commission an hour later.

“You have  continued to ignore and/or neglected observing the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) by holding mass rallies in contravention of the established Standard Operation Procedures intended to control the spread of the Corona Virus, thereby risking the lives of the people,” Byabakama wrote to Amuriat.

“In the process, this has resulted in unwarranted occasional confrontation with security personnel; a case in point at Mbarara on 17^th and 18^th of November, 2020, among others, and processions en route to your campaign venues, among others.”

For Bobi Wine, the EC reminded him of clashes in Iganga and Koboko.

In both letters, Byabakama tells Amuriat and Bobi Wine the meeting is intended to give them a chance to respond to the issues raised and to “chart a way forward.”