The 12 days of violence, tear gas, bullets and military action kicked off officially this morning in Uganda, with President Museveni promising a revamped version of what is was during the days of Kizza Besigye.
The 12-day period which starts on the day just before the election is a rite that all Ugandans go through every five years, with the party getting bigger and better each period. This time round, Museveni’s government has promised that it won’t be boring, and there will be minimal casualties.
“Every time we go to polls, we have this 12-day period where we work on restoring submission to the real government of Uganda, especially those in the capital. It is a tradition that we would want to keep and we urge the International community not to interfere.”
Stage Set
Everything is set for the 12 days. The main opposition party led by Bobi Wine has drawn enough popularity to win the election, making the 12 days of violence more necessary because they should not win. The Electoral Commission of Uganda already announced that they already know the winner and are just waiting to make the big announcement, while International bodies such as the African Union have already started congratulating Museveni.
With this background, police and the military have been testing their weapons in anticipation of the party that will last for the 12 days. Eventually, whoever wins is the one who has the most force and is considered the election winner. On one hand there is an incumbent president who is also a military leader, while on the other hand there is a musician who best knows how to handle a microphone.
The results will be obvious.
