Election slogans should echo praises not abuses

By John Kamya As the presidential elections campaign heats up, we are seeing quite a lot of excitement and political activity. Unfortunately, there also incidents of violence or public disorder that are being reported in some parts of the country. Some elements have resorted to interfering or disrupting the political rallies of others by showing up with posters or donning T-shirts bearing pictures of opposing candidates, or chanting and singing slogans in favour of opposing candidates. All such actions are illegal during the campaign period as they may cause disharmony, disorder or disrupt the campaign rallies of other candidates. If, according to the programme of the electoral commission, a particular candidate is scheduled to address a rally in a particular township or area, supporters of another candidate should desist from organising campaign activities that may disrupt the peace by causing collusions or clashes between supporters of different camps. In addition, when supporters of a particular candidate are carrying out their campaign activities that involve processions, chanting and singing, such people should desist from chanting slogans or singing songs, saying words or any other acts that are aimed at causing hatred against another candidate. Let your songs praise your candidate, other than abuse another candidate or ridicule other candidates. According to the law, such acts are illegal and heavily punishable. It is unfortunate that not many people have taken trouble to study the provisions of the electoral law. Therefore, due to political excitement, they go ahead and campaigning methods that are characteristic of abuses, violence and promoting sectarianism and hatred, not knowing that such acts have already been outlawed; yet ignorance of the law, as we know, is no defence. Here is what the law says about such actions; in section 25 of the presidential elections Act 2001. "Any person who before or during an election for the purpose of effecting or preventing the election of a candidate, either directly or indirectly: (a) By words, whether spoken or written, song,, sign or any other representation or in any manner seeks to excite or promote disharmony, enemity or hatred against another person on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion; (b) Organises a group of persons with the intention of training the group in the use of force, violence, abusive, insulting, corrupt or vituperative songs, or language calculated to malign, disparage, condemn, insult or abuse another person or candidate or with a view to causing disharmony or a breach of the peace or to disturb public tranquility so as to gain unfair advantage in the election over that other person or candidate; or (c) Obstructs or interferes or attempts to obstruct or interfere with the free exercise of the franchise of a voter or compels or attempts to compel a voter to vote or to refrain from voting; or (d) In any manner whatsoever threatens any candidate or voter with injury or harm of any kind; or (e) Induces or attempts to induce any candidate or voter to fear or believe that he or she will suffer illness or will become an object of divine, spiritual or fetish displeasure or census; Section 26 continues; (i) No person shall, during campaigning use any language which is defamatory or which constitutes incitement to public disorder, hatred or violence. Any person who contravenes all the above subsection commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 80 currency points or two years imprisonment or both. So, let be careful with the words, songs, symbols or actions we use during the campaign period as it may bring us in conflict with the law and the police is out there to catch you. Ends