Observer teams from the East African Community Election Observer Mission (EAC-EOM) to the ongoing Uganda General Election has been flagged off.
Flagging off the observers, EAC-EOM Head of Mission H.E. Domitien Ndayizeye, said that to ensure objectivity and impartiality, the observers had been drawn from all the EAC Partner States except the Republic of Uganda which is going to election on 14th January, 2021.
“The EAC-EOM short-term observers are drawn from the East African Legislative Assembly, Electoral Management Bodies, Human Rights Commissions, EAC Coordinating Ministries and the Staff of the EAC Organs, namely the East African Legislative Assembly, East African Court of Justice and the EAC Secretariat,” said H.E. Ndayizeye.
H.E. Ndayizeye disclosed that the EAC observers had been deployed to various districts for deployment including Kampala, Masaka, Gulu, Arua, Mubende, Masindi, Soroti, Mbale, Mbarara, Kabale, Kasese and Moroto.
“The mission is in line with Article 3 (3) of the Treaty for Establishment of the EAC, which requires Partner States to adhere to the universally acceptable principles of good governance, human rights and social justice,” said the former President of Burundi.
H.E. Ndayizeye said that in its assessment of the electoral process, the EAC-EOM would be guided by the democratic principles and values outlined in the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the EAC Principles for Election Observation and Evaluation.
“I want to thank the people of Uganda for by and large conducting themselves with maturity during the election campaigns period,” said the Head of Mission, and urged Ugandans to uphold dignity and peace even on Election Day.
He urged all political actors to avoid incitement and acts of provocation so as to ensure that the election was peaceful and ended amicably.
