Media based campaigns will disenfranchise us - women

POLITICS  | COVID-19

A section of Ugandan women has said female candidates in next year's general elections will not afford to sustain campaigns through the traditional and digital media because that mode of canvassing votes is expensive.

In its petition to the Electoral Commission (EC), the Uganda Women's Network (UWONET), an advocacy organization coordinating collective action for women's rights, said that it is cognizant of how "digitalizing elections could combine with pre-existing inequalities" to disenfranchise women and youth by hindering their participation in the elections, as voters and candidates.

"As it is, EC's proposed method of electioneering eludes the principles of inclusivity and equity. The usage of media as the primary platform for campaigning undermines the crucial aspect of establishing a level playing field for all candidates in an election…," the organization said in its June 23 petition.

This, the women added, could deny the voters access to critical information to make informed decisions about candidates. They also stated that they are cognizant of their continued marginalization and low representation in politics, and are gravely concerned about the affordability of the media.

"On average, radio stations in Kampala charge sh4.5m for an hour's programme during the evening prime time, while upcountry radio stations charge between sh700, 000 and sh2m, and television stations charge sh6m for the same slot. With no regulation, these prices are set to go up due to increase in demand during the campaign period," UWONET added.

In addition, the high cost of internet in Uganda, they added, would make digital campaigning expensive. On June 16, the EC issued a revised roadmap for the 2021 general elections and said campaigns would be conducted through the media to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The "scientific" electioneering proposal, the organization stated, is based on an assumption that all Ugandans have access to media platforms, adding that conducting campaigns and elections under the current conditions will disfranchise women, youth and rural populations.

According to the 2017/18 survey by the National Information Technology Authority, 65.3% of Ugandan household own radio receivers and 21.8% have television sets.

The women's network recommended that the EC consult with stakeholders about its proposal before its implementation.

It added that the EC should also take notice of the fact that media are not accessible in some parts of the country and consider permitting campaign meetings involving a maximum of 100 people depending on the size of the venue, with people in attendance adhering to social distancing measures.

It also proposed joint candidate campaigns to prevent the practice of disallowing some candidates from holding radio or television talk shows, ensure equal access for all candidates to public media and consider "disciplinary action" against security agents and resident district commissioners who may bar candidates from accessing the media.

The UWONET director, Rita Aciro, said she and her team met the EC commissioners led by the deputy chairperson of the electoral body, Aisha Lubega, recently. The meeting took place at the EC's headquarters in Kampala.

Aciro said the EC appreciated the concerns they raised and promised to address them.

"They (EC) do appreciate there are challenges and are working to boost the communication network in Karamoja, for example, where radio networks are not accessible. They also appreciate the gender dynamics and power relations. Radios are mainly owned by men in rural areas and these men take the radios with them to their small social gatherings in the evenings," she added.

Aciro stated that they raised with the EC commissioners the possibility of women "missing" some media campaign programmes because of their "gender related roles", and the electoral body said it's considering allowing candidates to conduct door to door campaigns and hold town hall meetings.

The EC spokesperson, Jotham Taremwa, said the institution is looking into the issues raised by the women and the NGO forum member as well as other sections of the public regarding campaigning through the media.

"We have received feedback from various groups and we are studying the issues raised. We hope to conclude this in a short time. But we know that there is no part of the country without access to radio networks. Even areas at the border with our neighbours receive Ugandan radio networks," he added.