Activists urge voters to shun bribes from candidates

Civil Society Organisations have told voters to avoid exchanging their votes for diminutive benefits such as soap and sugar, saying it is a dehumanizing act.

Addressing a press conference on Friday at Eureka Place Hotel in the city suburbs of Ntinda, Cissy Kagaba, the executive director of Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) noted that bribing voters was not bad but illegal.

"Your vote is valuable and should not be reduced to a sachet of salt, sugar, soap or waragi. Let us listen to all those standing for various posts and only offer votes on merit. Do everything in peace and prepare to elect leaders on merit," Kagaba advised.

She said voter bribery is not only detrimental to service delivery, but also contributes to commercialization of politics and micro-economic instability.

"No single actor or intervention can end voter bribery. All Ugandans must collectively join the fight against voter bribery. Citizens can contribute to this endeavor by shunning inducements from politicians as well as monitoring and reporting cases of voter bribery," she said.  

Kagaba observed that in preparation a head of polls on February 18, 2016, several contenders have paid supporters in order to achieve their political goals, which has come with an increase in reports of bribery, theft and corruption. This, she said will subsequently affect the electoral process and deny Ugandans a free and fair election.

"Already the effects of inflation have been witnessed with the increasing prices of commodities and services. The situation will only get worse with the planned release of sh1.5b and sh22b for village and parliamentary elections respectively by the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Kagaba predicts.

The activists also called upon the police, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) and Electoral Commission to investigate and prosecute all forms of voter bribery. They also called upon government and the Media to intensify voter education and sensitization to ensure that citizenry are aware of their obligations.   

Section 69 of the Parliamentary Election Act (2001) and section 64 of the Presidential Election Act (2005) both outlaw voter bribery.

The section states that a person who, either before or during an election with intent, either directly or indirectly influences another person to vote or to refrain from voting any candidate, gives or provides or causes to be given or provided any money and gift commits the offence of bribery and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 72 currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.

Denis Ojore, Moroto- Nakapiripirit inter-religious chairman said that in their districts, politicians are bribing voters by giving them a brew called 'nagwe'. He said the brew is often provided by service providers and payments are made by politicians through their agents.

"In this form of bribery, politicians do not physically bribe voters, but they do so by paying service providers to provide free alcohol". He stated.

Ojore said the situation in Karamoja has worsened by the re-current hunger and famine in the sub region. This, he said prompts citizens to demand for inducements from politicians.

Teresa Lazcano Cadwallader, the Alliance for Election Campaign Monitoring (ACFIM) programme coordinator said in order to help eradicate vote bribing, peoples mindset should be changed in a way that they expect to receive nothing for votes.   

According to the statement, in Kabale and Iganda districts, candidates have stepped up their contribution to churches, mosques, schools and to youth and women group. Items like cement, iron sheets, iron bars have been offered to the groups as inducements.

The statement also states that in Iganga Municipality, candidates during campaigns have paid over 200 youth sh10, 000 each, to mobilize people to attend rallies.

The civil society leadership claims that their community monitors have been faced with violence and intimidation from candidates to the extent of having vital pieces of evidence including pictures and videos deleted.