EC revised roadmap challenged in court
Electoral Commission chairman, Simon Mugenyi Byabakama. File photo
What you need to know:
- According to the June, 22, letter to the EC, the petitioners demanded withdrawal of the revised roadmap for it will not suit the citizens’ expectations of a free and fair election. They however state that their letter went unanswered.
The revised Election Commission roadmap which introduced digitized campaigns for the forthcoming general elections, has been challenged in court
In their lawsuit filed before the High Court on Wednesday, the petitioners; Mr Fred Mayanja and Mr John Baptist Masaazi; seek a permanent injunction against Electoral Commission restraining it from organizing the coming elections under the said roadmap.
The petitioners claim that the said roadmap’s operationalisation will be a violation of the fundamental human rights and freedoms of many Ugandans.
“This kind of election will automatically require all the electorates to have radio and television sets in order to follow their respective candidates and the entire election process. However, given the nature of our country where we have indigent groups of people who can hardly afford a meal, they will be left behind since they cannot afford to buy smart phones, radios and television sets to be able to follow closely what will be taking place,” the petitioners state.
The petitioners state that the digital campaigns require electricity in every part of the country yet it is not the case in Uganda. According to the court documents, the petitioners have as a result lost confidence in the freeness, fairness and transparency of the coming general election process and therefore want court to restrain EC from organizing the 2021 general elections.
According to the June, 22, letter to the EC, the petitioners demanded withdrawal of the revised roadmap for it will not suit the citizens’ expectations of a free and fair election. They, however, state that their letter went unanswered.
