Kawempe North By Elections: EC Perturbed by Violence

The Electoral Commission is concerned about the recent violence witnessed in the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election campaigns, as stated by the Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama.

"The Commission is perturbed by what we have all seen and condemns unreservedly all acts of violence in our electoral processes and calls on all stakeholders to exercise restraint," he said. He was delivering a keynote address at the 3rd annual convention of the Uganda Editor's Guild, held at Hotel Mestil in Kampala on Thursday morning.

Justice Byabakama explained that, for this reason, the Commission had decided to engage with different stakeholders, including candidates and their supporters. "On Tuesday, the Commission summoned security, especially the Uganda Police Force, to express our concerns and call for more civilized methods in the enforcement of electoral laws," he said. 

He added, "We have another engagement with the leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) at their offices." He called for maximum restraint in the use of force during the campaigns. 

Justice Byabakama also urged political actors to avoid acts of provocation that could lead to clashes with security in the line of duty. He further decried the heavy monetization of the electoral process, which he said undermines democracy. 

Turning to the media, Justice Byabakama urged journalists not to fuel conflicts by reporting responsibly. "We ask the media to play a constructive role and dis-escalate the conflicts. The use of hate speech is a very serious matter because it tends to escalate the situation," he said. 

He noted that the Commission is not solely responsible for ensuring peaceful elections due to the involvement of various actors.