The Electoral Commission has accredited 1,655 election observers to monitor the presidential and parliamentary elections that are to be held on Thursday this week across the country.
However, there is a conspicuous absence of the European Union Delegation. The EU Delegation has in the past been one of the leading observers of elections.
In a statement to Uganda Radio Network, the EU delegation in Uganda said due to other political and financial considerations, they were unable to send monitors in this year’s elections.
“This is a decision from our Headquarters taking into considerations political priorities and financial and administrative factors,” said the EU. “Meanwhile, diplomats from the EU Delegation and EU Member States embassies will be deployed across the country to observe the electoral operations on election day and ascertain this important political development for Uganda.”
It however adds that contrary to a formal observation mission, this usual diplomatic practice of observation by locally accredited diplomats will not result in a public report or statement like it has normally been the practice.
The EU election monitoring reports has been one of the most acclaimed reports of all election observing mission. It has always pointed out areas where they found election not in compliance with international standards.
In many cases, their report has rubbed the government the wrong way, accusing the observers of having predetermined biases even before the observation mission starts.