NUP meets EC over party colours

Aug 25, 2020

The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has insisted that the red colour belongs to them and that their position is protected by the law.

ELECTION WATCH | NUP

KAMPALA- The leadership of the National Unity Platform (NUP) on Monday held discussions with the Electoral Commission (EC) on the party colours.

This was during a meeting held at the EC head offices in Kampala.

"We tasked the EC to gazette our political symbol of an umbrella and all its colours which include red, white and navy blue," the NUP president and Kyadondo East legislator, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine said.

He added; "The good thing is that the chairman has assured us that they are going to work on it."

The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) has insisted that the red colour belongs to them and that their position is protected by the law.

According to the Political Parties and Organizations Act 2005, Section 8, a political party or an organization shall not submit to EC for the purpose of registration of any identifying symbols, slogan, colour or name which is the same as or similar to the symbol, slogan, colour or name or initials of any registered political party or organization.

However, NUP faulted EC for just looking on as police and other security agencies undermined their right to reach out to voters through different media platforms.

"We have faulted the EC for relegating on its mandate as police and other security agencies violate our right to use radios and televisions to reach out to the people," he said.

The electoral body recently announced that there will be no mass rallies in the forthcoming polls in favour of radio, TVs and other media platforms in what has since been dubbed "scientific" elections.

On the recently concluded youth elections, NUP complained that many of their candidates and supporters were not only intimidated but also denied any opportunity to participate in the process.

"Some of our candidates won and they refused to gazette them while others were forcefully disqualified. That is why we resolved to protest against the bias by the EC which is open in our very eyes," he said.

In response to their grievances the EC chairman, Simon Byabakama said; "We are going to look into all the issues raised."

"Our commitment as the Commission is to ensure that we handle the electoral process in the free and fair manner by ensuring the full participation of each and everybody," Byabakama said.








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