Samuel Lubega, the independent in the presidential race, has flatly rejected Friday's election as a sham and has called for a popular revolt to take Uganda back to the democratic path.
In an exclusive interview with Uganda Radio Network, Lubega says the election has been marred by a litany of irregularities and malpractices like multiple voting, pre-ticking of ballots, ballot stuffing, ghost voting and under-age voting.
Other irregularities he cites are disenfranchisement of voters, deliberate failing of the internet and telecommunication during the polling day, indiscriminate unlawful arrests of opposition agents, massive intimidation and violence by National Resistance Movement operatives and involvement of the military and security forces.
Lubega says the election was an opportunity for President Museveni and Badru Kiggundu, the Electoral Commission chairman, to redeem their democratic credentials but they have squandered it.
He says instead the election has exposed Museveni and Kiggundu as the perpetrators of election rigging in Uganda and that Ugandans now know the truth:
Cue in: The public now ...
Cue out: ...election-rigging regime.
Lubega says the mass revolt would be achieved through networking, awareness creation, building of people power and wider solidarity to deal with those who deny freedom and rights.
Asked if he is not scared of the warning by Museveni that protestors would be locked up, Lubega said Uganda has a history of dictators who have even been defeated by the people and that Museveni's fate is not any different.
Lubega, who is trailing in the vote tallying, says the fraudulent election is now a fertile ground for and outright provocation of mass post-election resentment and violence that can lead to unintended or pre-designed genocide.
He says with the elections rigged, Uganda has now entered a new decisive stage in which Ugandans must reject the results out rightly and embark on the path to their freedom.
Lubega says it is time for Ugandans to ensure that they take back their power that has been usurped by the managers of the country.
Cue in: It's time as ...
Cue out: ... of this country.
Lubega says he is going to work with other political forces in order to have a common front in the popular liberation of the country, like what has happened in Tunisia, Egypt and Ukraine.
The outcome of the popular revolt, adds Lubega, is a United Nations-led electoral body to replace the Kiggundu-led electoral Commission in order to quash any fears about the credibility of the electoral process.
Lubega also wants a national dialogue between the people and political groupings in Uganda to critically institute electoral, constitutional and political reforms and address popular demands.
