Multiple challenges await the newly-appointed electoral commissioners as they prepare to take office this month, key among them the relationship with the technical staff The Observer has learnt.
According to credible sources in the commission, senior managers are trying to figure out President Museveni’s surprise choice of Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama as EC chairperson. Former Court of Appeal judge Byabakama is reportedly feared to be ‘too close’ to Museveni, leaving technocrats unsure how to relate to him.
In November, Museveni appointed Byabakama to replace Badru Kiggundu as EC chair. He comes with commissioners Aisha Lubega, Mustapha Ssebaggala Kigozi, Peter Emorut, George Piwang and Stephen Tashobya. Their appointment was condemned by the opposition, which said Museveni had promised to wait until certain reforms had been instituted.
The criticism did not help the image of an institution perpetually accused of favouring Museveni and the NRM party, and changing that image was seen as an obvious priority for Byabakama’s team.
Yet according to our sources, perhaps their first test will be how they navigate the complex power dynamics at the EC. Although commissioners approve the EC programmes, budget and all officer appointments, the most powerful person has traditionally been Sam Rwakoojo. As EC secretary, Rwakoojo heads the secretariat which runs the commission.
In addition, the funds of the commission are under Rwakoojo’s control. Our sources intimated that Rwakoojo, the longest-serving secretary at EC, is feared and respected in equal measure.
For the new commissioners to succeed, therefore, they need to cultivate a good working relationship with him.
“He has Museveni’s direct ear and determines so many things here at EC,” said one of the employees at EC.
One source told of how Rwakoojo fell out with a former commissioner who wanted to have a son hired and another relative given a business deal by the EC.
“He stood his ground and from then onwards the two never saw eye to eye,” the source said.
Rwakoojo is said to be related to Sam Kutesa, the influential minister of Foreign Affairs. Yet our sources told us that with the new commissioners, Rwakoojo himself knows he has to trudge carefully.
For instance, while he has enjoyed a good relationship with Dr Badru Kiggundu, the former chairperson of the EC, it is not yet clear whether this will be the case with Byabakama.
Byabakama worked as a public prosecutor before he was appointed High court judge in 2008. In 2015, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal. Sources said it is this meteoric rise that has scared some people at the EC who believe that he is very close to President Museveni.
The fear is that Byabakama could create his own power centre with Museveni’s ear. His arrival leaves technocrats nervous because they do not know what instructions the new chair is coming with.
Besides Rwakoojo, other influential directors at EC are Pontius Namugera (Technical support services) and Leonard Mulekwah (Operations). The other influential person is the EC spokesman Jotham Taremwa.
Taremwa has established a strong network within the media fraternity which some say has improved the image of the EC and amplified its work.
Taremwa is arguably the most powerful spokesperson EC has had. Rwakoojo said yesterday that he was looking forward to working well with the new team.
“I have already interacted with some of them before. They are hardworking people,” he said.
Taremwa declined to discuss the internal matters of EC in the media. But he told The Observer that as the technical team, they are prepared to facilitate the new commissioners in every way possible.
“We are happy that a new commission has been appointed. We [Commission staff] are ready and prepared to give them all the needed support”, Taremwa said.
OLD PROBLEMS
Meanwhile, the commissioners are inheriting a team of about 800 staff, many of whom are said to be demotivated due to poor pay. Sources within the EC told us that the current EC salary structure was introduced in 1999.
Year in year out, the EC has pushed for salary increments but government has politely refused. Managers are reportedly worried they could lose key employees to better-paying organisations.
The immediate challenge of the new team will be to oversee the forthcoming LC I and II elections, with about 60,000 villages expected to choose local council leaders. Government says it has only Shs10 billion for the elections although the EC needs at least 16bn.
Elections shall be conducted by lining up behind the contestants, a method condemned by the opposition and civil society groups. If the elections are bungled or poorly organized, the new team will immediately be put in the spotlight like their predecessors.
In an interview with The Observer, Mustapha Ssebaggala Kigozi, one of the new commissioners, said one of their immediate tasks will be to sensitize the citizens about the importance of voting and to build confidence in them.
“Being administrators, we are aware of what to do. We shall, among other things, encourage people to participate in voting their local leaders,” he said.
Speaking to journalists at parliament in December, shortly after appearing before the vetting committee, Byabakama said the new team will focus on cleaning the image of the EC as an NRM sympathizer.
Internally, however, Byabakama looks set to be distracted by the power dynamics.
ekiggundu@observer.ug