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Africa Policy E-Journal
Uganda: Referendum Monitoring +++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: East Africa Selected sources include:
Africa News Service
The East African
Monitor
New Vision
Uganda Home Pages UN Integrated Regional Information Service http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/archive/uganda.htm
For more extensive background and listings of sitees, click on
the Uganda references on the Africa Policy web site in the
East Africa start page +++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ REFERENDUM 2000 NGO MONITORING CLUSTER This is the third report prepared by the Referendum 2000 Monitoring Cluster. It was published in The Monitor and the New Vision on April 11, and in the East African on April 17. Translations of the report in four local Ugandan languages will appear in newspapers during the week of April 24. Please contact the Referendum 2000 Monitoring Cluster, c/o Uganda Joint Christian Council, regarding the January and February reports, or to receive future reports. For further information, please contact:
The Referendum 2000 Monitoring Cluster March Statement The Monitoring Cluster is an independent, impartial, non-partisan, neutral body, which has no political preferences. It comprises six NGOs: UJCC (Uganda Joint Christian Council); NOCEM (National Organisation for Civic Education and Monitoring); FIDA-(U) (Uganda Association of Women Lawyers); UJSC (Uganda Journalists Safety Committee); UWONET (Uganda Women's Network); and CASE (Community Agency for Social Enquiry) International. Monitoring is carried out by a Secretariat in Kampala, and by 214 county-level monitors. The cluster is observing and reporting on the following issues: The Legislative Framework; Referendum Administration; the Campaign; Media; Gender/ Women's Participation; and Other Relevant Issues. The objective of the Referendum 2000 Monitoring programme is to comprehensively monitor all aspects of the referendum process, in accordance with international best practices, and report its findings to the public in monthly reports. The Referendum 2000 Consortium of NGOs consists of 15 Ugandan NGOs, participating in four functional groups or clusters: Monitoring, Media, Civic Education, and Civic Education for Women. The Consortium is funded by a group of international donors. 1. THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK Status of Legislation The status of legislation pertaining to the referendum in March is as follows:
Registration of Other Political Systems The Electoral Commission (EC) received seven petitions for "other political systems": The Federo Democratic System, The National Coalition System, The Compromise System, The Confederation Political System, The Communism System, The Neo-Movement System, and The Native Federation System. The EC is in the process of verifying the signatures supporting these petitions. The Monitoring Cluster is concerned that:
2. REFERENDUM ADMINISTRATION Registration: Registration in Kampala was re-opened from March 21-31. As a result of the direct intervention of the President, registration up-country was moved from the district back to the parish level, closer to the people who need to register. According to our monitors' field reports, the turnout for registration has been low, in spite of diligent efforts by the EC to inform the public through radio and newspaper spots. Factors that have contributed to this low turnout include:
Voter apathy The Monitoring Cluster notes that:
However, the Cluster notes with concern that:
Finances: The Cluster has tried to obtain information that should be public knowledge from the EC regarding the finances for the referendum, but as yet this has not been forthcoming. The Referendum Question: The Question still has not been framed. This seriously hinders civic educators in their job to inform citizens about the issues in the referendum. A panel of three judges (Justices Karokora, Ogoola, and Kitumba) has been named by the Chief Justice to frame the question in consultation with the sides in accordance with the Referendum and Other Provisions Act. The Referendum Date: The EC still has not set the date for the referendum. Civic educators cannot be expected to do a good job of informing the public about the referendum, if they don't know when it is going to be. Setting a date for the referendum may also speed up the referendum process. Guidelines on Canvassing: The EC has not issued guidelines on canvassing as required under The Referendum and Other Provisions Act. Symbols for the Sides: The Movement has chosen a Bus as its symbol. The Multi-partyists have chosen a Dove. These symbols should appear on the ballot papers to identify the sides. However, they have not yet been gazetted in accordance with the law, and are therefore not yet official. This is a significant hindrance for civic educators. Impartiality of the EC: The cluster notes with great concern the reports in the media about alleged statements comparing the Multi-party system and the Movement system made by the Chairman of the EC in Masaka on March 22. We feel that it is imperative that such a high election official maintains absolute impartiality in all his statements. 3. THE CAMPAIGN Reports from our field monitors indicate that there has been little formal campaign activity taking place. Nevertheless, meetings have been held in a number of districts, with the majority of them being organised by Movement supporters. The general trend of the campaign in March has focused on the Movement urging people to register and to vote; while the boycotting political parties have been urging people to register, but to boycott the referendum. Twenty of the 27 members of the Multi-party National Referendum Committee (MRC) met with the Chairman of the EC to resolve their differences, however, the results of this meeting were inconclusive. Nevertheless, the Multi-party side has launched district committees in all districts except Bundibugyo and Katakwi. Campaign Meetings: Field reports also indicate that some meetings and rallies have been carried out without interference from the authorities. For instance:
However, field reports also indicate that various campaign meetings have been prevented from taking place:
There continue to be reports of people using irresponsible and inciteful language.
Suspension of Chakamuchaka: The Chairman of the EC has suspended chakamuchaka (political education) courses throughout the country because they promote only the Movement ideology. Government Officials: Reports have been received from Kotido, Hoima and Katakwi that RDCs are actively campaigning for the Movement, and they are using government resources such as vehicles, and other public facilities. Political Bargaining: Field reports indicate more incidents of political bargaining in which the threat to withhold votes from the Movement is the key bargaining point.
4. MEDIA The media group in the Monitoring Cluster has been carefully monitoring the referendum-related content of the principal English language papers for the month of March. The following table shows the results of this preliminary monitoring. ("Government" refers to the EC, official functions related to the referendum, and to other normal government activities.)
The New Vision The Monitor
Government 57% 51%
Movement 8% 26%
Multiparty 12% 8%
Boycotters 21% 9%
Other Systems 1% 1%
Other 1% 5%
While both newspapers are giving about equal coverage to referendum-related news (43% to 49%), there are significant differences within these totals, as one might expect. Among other things, The New Vision carried almost three times more news about the Boycotting political parties than about the Movement; while The Monitor carried three times more coverage of the Movement than of the Boycotting political parties. Coverage by both papers of the Multiparty is about equal (12% to 8%). The April Media Report will be expanded to include radio and TV coverage of the referendum. 5. GENDER/WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION Reports by 20 UWONET gender monitors who visited 10 districts show that the turn out of women for registration was low. Factors that contributed to this include: lack of transport, long distances for women to travel, domestic duties, insecurity, and poor publicity. However, in Kisoro, where registrars physically went to homes to register disabled, pregnant women and others, a high number of women were registered. In Kyahi village, for example, out of 250 registered voters, 150 were women; and in Kibaya, 100 of the 175 people registered to vote were women. In Gulu, 60% of the registered voters were women. They got voters* cards as protective documents, following rumours that such documents could be used to allow them passage through police roadblocks. Women*s participation as civic educators was generally poor, and except for urban areas, there are few women election officials. On the other hand, women*s participation in civic education in several regions, like Katakwi and Kalangala, was considered good. Effective venues for workshops were markets, women*s clubs and drinking places. 6. OTHER RELEVANT ISSUES The Monitoring Cluster notes with serious concern the delay in the release of funds pledged by the donors. This lack of funds is severely affecting the effectiveness and efficiency of the NGOs in executing their civic education and monitoring activities. The National Political Commissar of the Movement Secretariat stated that the current ban on political parties, found in Article 269 in the Constitution, will most likely be lifted after the referendum in June, because a political system will have been chosen. However, he also noted, that after the referendum, the winning side would probably impose restrictions on the other system which did not win, and that this would be constitutionally permitted. (The New Vision 15;16/3; The Monitor 15/3)
Documents previously distributed in the e-journal are
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