Africa-Press – Uganda. The Electoral Commission has reaffirmed that presidential aspirants are allowed to conduct nationwide consultations but only in accordance with the legal guidelines set out under the Presidential Elections Act.
Justice Simon Byabakama, the EC Chairperson, told the Equal Opportunities Commission that while consultations are a legal right, they are not equivalent to campaign rallies and must not disrupt public order.
“Consultation means engaging people in a dialogue, not holding processions, causing traffic jams, or parading convoys through towns,” he explained. “It is not yet time for campaigns.”
He clarified that presidential hopeful must notify the EC, the police, and local authorities before conducting consultations in any area. He added that the Commission has already received several such notifications.
“The law requires notification not permission from the Commission. We don’t deny anyone their right to consult,” he said.
Byabakama criticised aspirants who use consultations as a pretext for early campaigning and deliberately provoke confrontations with law enforcement to gain media attention.
“Some people want to violate the law so that the police act, and then they use that confrontation as political capital,” he said.
He recalled a 2020 incident where an aspirant was brought to the nomination center barefoot after being intercepted for breaching guidelines.
“The law doesn’t require aspirants to wear suits or even shoes. So we had to nominate him, despite the circumstances,” he noted, urging political actors to respect the legal framework to avoid unnecessary conflict.
The Commission emphasised that all political activities from consultations to nominations — must be conducted with civility and in line with public safety protocols.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
