Acholi elder under their umbrella Wang Oo Heritage have condemned electoral violence and urged security agencies to observe human rights.
The elders appealed to candidates to put the interest of the country above elections by respecting the Ministry of Health, Electoral Commission and government`s guidelines aimed at containing the spread of Coronavirus disease in the country.
This was during a press conference at Palema Crown Hotel in Gulu on Friday last week.
The elders included the Chairperson of Wang Oo and former member of parliament Livingstone Okello- Okello, retired high court judge, Justice Galdino Moro Okello, Rosalba Atoo Oywa, Sheikh Abdul Ramadhan, Sister Rebecca Lanyero of the Acholi Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) and James Okello Mogi, among others.
They condemned and described as saddening the violence, arbitrary arrest, torture, killings and rights violation by armed security personnel on opposition candidates and unarmed civilians during this campaign period as saddening.
The elders urged the Electoral Commission to take control of the electoral process and ensure that it is non-violent, and all candidates are given a fair opportunity to campaign.
Rosalba Atoo Oywa the Wang Oo Heritage Vice Chairperson explained that youth and women have been the most affected by the violence which resulted into the recent death of over 50 people when violence erupted in Kampala. Oywa called on young people to embrace peace ahead of the 2021 elections.
