EC warns politicians over early campaigns

Kampala. The Electoral Commission (EC) has issued a stern warning to people intending to stand for political positions to desist from conducting early campaigns, which they claim are illegal.
In a May 15m notice, titled: “Guidance to aspirants seeking to conduct consultative meetings and campaigns”, the EC said no one is allowed to engage in early campaigns until the nomination exercise is announced officially for any elective positions.

“The Electoral Commission has noted with concern that a number of people aspiring for various elective positions in the 2021 General Election, have started conducting public meetings, supposedly to consult the electorate in preparation for their candidature,” the EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, said in the public notice.

He said some aspirants are organising campaign meetings and addressing rallies while others are putting posters and distributing campaign materials and soliciting votes contrary to the campaign period set in the Electoral Roadmap.
“At this moment on the electoral calendar, there are no persons nominated as candidates for Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Councils elections. All aspirants are therefore, urged to refrain from engaging in campaigns for these positions,” Justice Byabakama said.

According to the EC’s Electoral Roadmap, campaigns for the various elective positions, as guided by law, commence after the Commission has duly nominated candidates for respective elective offices.
Justice Byabakama added: “Section 3 of the Presidential Elections Act, 2005, provides for aspirants to consult in preparation for nominations. Consultations, however, should be distinguished from campaigns, which take the form of distributing materials, campaigns, holding rallies and meetings and canvassing/soliciting votes envisaged under Sections 21 and 24 of the Presidential Elections Act, 2005.”

Justice Byamukama said consultative meetings and campaigns can only take place internally within political parties and organisations, where their internal constitutions provide for such a process to choose the party flag bearers.
While Opposition leaders are yet to respond to the directive by the commission, they have privately accused the commission and police of denying them to mobilise their members.

President Museveni, the chairperson of the ruling NRM party is traversing the country, officially launching the wealth creation, while the Forum for Democratic Party officials have been blocked from different parts of the country from consultative meetings.
Dr Kizza Besigye, the president of Peoples’ Government, has been pulled out of different radio stations and some stations have in the recent past been switched off air for hosting him and his associates.
Mr Don Wanyama, the senior presidential spokesperson, said the president’s countrywide tour should not be confused with campaigns. He said the President is doing his duties as the Head of State.

“The President is doing what he was elected to do – serving and educating Ugandans. I don’t think you have seen him anywhere on the wealth creation drive asking people to vote him or him giving out campaign paraphernalia. He is a field President and he will stay in the field to do his work,” Mr Wanyama said.
The Opposition FDC president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, and the party spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, could not be reach for comments.

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