Kampala — THE Government has assured the country that the just-commenced campaigns and coming elections will be conducted in a peaceful, free and fair environment.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing at Nakasero yesterday, information state minister Dr. Nsaba Buturo accused the opposition of being bent on peddling falsehood that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party would rig the elections.

Buturo said, "There are individuals within the opposition camp whose primary tactic is to create the impression that the election next year will be rigged by the NRM. Such a tactic is an early admission on their part that they smelt defeat and are finding justification for it early enough."

He expressed government satisfaction with the work of institutions charged with mediation, arbitration and supervision of electoral contests, such as the Electoral Commission (EC), saying they were performing their work without fear or favour.

He said the Government would do whatever it takes to maintain the independence of the EC, since doing so would enhance the country's political maturity and credibility of its political system.

"Government condemns in the strongest terms the practice of some political personalities discrediting Uganda in the awfully mistaken view that by so doing they are undermining the Movement Government," he said.