Friday , March 29 2024
Home / comment / KAHERU: Electoral Commission should suspend physical campaigns

KAHERU: Electoral Commission should suspend physical campaigns

Red Cross Busia branch team supporting victims of election violence in Busia yesterday.  Campaigns have turned violent at police enforces COVIE-19 SOPs at rallies.

COMMENT | Crispin Kaheru | The incidents of violence at hand in different parts of the country points to one thing: that as a country we have failed the test of a ‘hybrid election’ amidst Covid-19 pandemic.

It is therefore prudent that the Electoral Commission (EC) suspends physical campaigns with immediate effect until such a point when the body regains full control of the electoral environment.  Life is more important than elections!

Stakeholders including politicians, their supporters, security agencies, and non-state actors should remain alive to the reality that this is an election and not a war. They each must act responsibly.  An electoral process that is not peaceful may ultimately be difficult to prove as credible.

This is the time for EC to strictly enforce the political parties Code of Conduct. Candidates should equally lead by example at all times; but most importantly control their supporters.

****

Crispin Kaheru is a Ugandan Socio-Political Commentator, and independent elections expert

Twitter: @ckaheru

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *