U.S. mission cancels observation of Uganda’s 2021 elections

U.S. Mission cancels diplomatic observation of Uganda’s January 14 election
Ambassador Natalie E. Brown of the United States to Uganda

Kampala, Uganda | URN |  The United States Embassy in Uganda has cancelled its Diplomatic Observer Mission of Uganda’s 2021 Elections. According to the Embassy, the vast majority of requests for observing the election were not approved, by the Electoral Commission [EC], leaving them with a skeletal team which cannot meaningfully undertake the task.

“It is with profound disappointment that I announce the U.S. Mission in Uganda’s decision to cancel our diplomatic observation of Uganda’s January 14 elections due to the decision by the Electoral Commission [EC] of Uganda to deny more than 75 per cent of the U.S. election observer accreditation’s requested,” said in a statement by Ambassador Natalie E. Brown.

Ambassador Natalie says that despite their multiple requests to the Electoral Commission (EC), no explanation was provided for its decision which the Ambassador said was communicated just days before polling day. She adds that with only 15 accreditation’s approved, it is not possible for the United States to meaningfully observe the conduct of Uganda’s elections at polling sites across the country. 

The Ambassador says that the US takes no side in Uganda’s upcoming elections and that they support a free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive electoral process. She also raises concern about reports that the EC has denied accreditation requests from members of other diplomatic missions and large numbers of Ugandan observers.

“The purpose of a diplomatic observation of elections is to demonstrate our interest in a free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive electoral process.  Diplomatic observers are not participants or advisors in the electoral process.  Rather, they informally observe the conduct of elections, following strict standards of impartiality, non-interference, and compliance with local laws. 

Ambassador Natalie says that the absence of the robust participation of observers, particularly Ugandan observers who are answerable to their fellow citizens, the country’s elections will lack the accountability, transparency and confidence that observer missions provide.  

Yesterday, the European Union [EU] Delegation to Uganda announced that its offer to deploy a small team of electoral experts was not taken up by the Electoral Commission, and as such, European Union [EU] observers, who were deployed across the country during elections in 2006, 2011 and 2016 will not observe the 2021 elections. 

Ambassador Natalie says that Uganda will now miss the opportunity to benefit from observers’ insights to improve and inform future elections. Ugandans go to the polls tomorrow Thursday, January, 14 to vote for a President and Members of Parliament.

Full Statement by U.S. Ambassador Natalie E. Brown on Cancellation of U.S. Diplomatic Observer Mission of Uganda’s Elections

It is with profound disappointment that I announce U.S. Mission in Uganda’s decision to cancel our diplomatic observation of Uganda’s January 14 elections due to the decision by the Electoral Commission of Uganda to deny more than 75 percent of the U.S. election observer accreditations requested.  

With only 15 accreditations approved, it is not possible for the United States to meaningfully observe the conduct of Uganda’s elections at polling sites across the country.

Despite multiple requests, the Electoral Commission provided no explanation for its decision, which it communicated mere days before the elections.  

The purpose of a diplomatic observation of elections is to demonstrate our interest in a free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive electoral process.  Diplomatic observers are not participants or advisors in the electoral process.  

Rather, they informally observe the conduct of elections, following strict standards of impartiality, non-interference, and compliance with local laws.  

The Government of Uganda has supported such U.S. observer efforts in multiple previous Ugandan elections.  This makes the decision now to deny accreditation to all but a small, randomly selected handful of our observers all the more troubling.

As we have stated previously, the United States takes no side in Uganda’s upcoming elections.  We support a free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive electoral process.  For Uganda’s 2016 elections, the U.S. Mission dispatched 88 diplomatic election observers.  

For the January 14 election, the U.S. Mission complied with all Electoral Commission accreditation requirements, as we had in previous elections in Uganda, but the vast majority of our requests for 2021 were not approved.

We are further concerned by reports that the Electoral Commission has denied accreditation requests from members of other diplomatic missions and large numbers of Ugandan observers.  Numerous civil society organizations planned to observe the elections, but many have not heard back from the Electoral Commission on their accreditation applications.

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Among those civil society organizations which already had organizational accreditation, the vast majority of their individual observers have not yet – two days ahead of elections – received accreditation badges.  

Absent the robust participation of observers, particularly Ugandan observers who are answerable to their fellow citizens, Uganda’s elections will lack the accountability, transparency and confidence that observer missions provide.  Uganda will also miss the opportunity to benefit from observers’ insights to improve and inform future elections.