Electoral Processes for the 2016 General Elections
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UGANDA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN ELECTORAL PROCESSES FOR THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS JUNE 2016 Uganda Human Rights Commission Uganda Human Rights Commission Offices HEAD AND REGIONAL Jinja Regional Office Kalangala Field Office OFFICES Plot 21 Bell Avenue Moyo Field Office Uganda Human Rights P.O Box 66 Jinja Mweera Road, Kalangala Island Commission Head Office Tel: 0434123760 Plot 3 Republic Road Plot 22 Lumumba Avenue (Twed Fax: 0434 123761 P. O. Box 701 Masaka Plaza Building) Email: [email protected] P. O. Box 42 P.O Box 4929 Kampala Tel: 041 Tel: 03818-514-812 Masaka Regional Office Tel: 0800144209 348007/8 Plot 14 Edward Avenue, Fax 041 255261 Email: [email protected] Opp. NSSF Office Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] P. O. Box 701 Masaka. Web site: www.uhrc.ug Tel:0318-514 812 Kapchorwa Field Office Arua Regional office Email: [email protected] Nakapirirpirit Field Office Plot 7 Nyerere Road Plot 70A Weather Park Head Mbarara Regional Office Lane Road Police Road Opposite Plot 6 McAllister Road, Mbarara P. O. Box 462, Soroti P. O. Box, 406 P.O Box 105 Mbarara Tel: 0476 420213 Panaora Hotel Tel: 04854 21780/1 Kapchorwa Municipality Fax: 0476 420214 Fax 0485 21782 Email : [email protected] P.O. Box 85 Email: [email protected] Tel:0800144205 Central Regional Office Moroto Regional Office Tel: 077628077 Plot 98 Old Kira Road, Plot 2/12 Justice Law & Order Email:[email protected] Nsimbiziwome Zone Sector House (JLOS) Email: [email protected] Next to Victory City Church, Independence Avenue-Moroto Ntinda P.O Box 105 Moroto Kitgum Field Office Before Shell Bukoto 2 Parish Tel: 0454470130 Pader Field Office P.O Box 4929 Kampala Email: [email protected] Plort 117/9 Uhuru Drive Road Tel: 041 4232190/ 04144271847 Off E.Y. Komakech Road Email: [email protected] Soroti Regional Office Kitgum Muncipality, Plot 70 Gweri Road Towards Mt.Zion Nursery Fort Portal Regional Office P.O Box462 Soroti Tel:0800144214 Plot No.3/5 Mugurusi Road Tel /Fax: 045 4461793 and Primary School, P.O Box 960 Fort Portal Email: [email protected] Email:[email protected] Tel: 0483 423171 Pader Town Council, Fax 0483 22571 FIELD OFFICES Tel: 0776795999 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Kaberamaido Field Office Gulu Regional Office Lira Field Office Plot 25 Aswa Road Kotido Field Office Next to Janan Luwuum Chruch P.O Box 728 Gulu Buvuma Field Office Plot 12 Bua Atieno Road Tel: 0471432415 Plot 30/31 London Road Kotido P. O. Box 462, Soroti Fax: 0471 32458 Buvuma Town Council Junior Quarters Pader Dvision Email: [email protected] Kotido Town Council Tel: 0800144210 Buvuma Island Hoima Regional Office Lira Municipality, P. O. Box 59 Plot 154 Off-Bunyoro Kitara Road Email:[email protected] P. O. Box 4929, Kampala P.O. Box 339 Hoima Tel: 0800144208 Tel: 0776474999 Tel: 465440287 Email: [email protected] Tel: 0414232190/0414271847 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in Electoral Processes for the 2016 General Elections Contents ABOUT UGANDA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Vision, Mission, Constitutional functions ........................................1 UHRC powers ..........................................................................................1 UHRC independence ............................................................................ 2 About UHRC UHRC operations ................................................................................... 2 General Introduction Acknowledgements .............................................................................. 3 Contextual Executive Summary ..............................................................................4 Background Foreword ..................................................................................................9 Preparedness for the 2016 General Elections CHAPTER ONE The Human Rights GENERAL INTRODUCTION ......................................................12 Situation in the 2016 1.1 Overview ....................................................................................12 General Elections 1.2 Objectives of the report .........................................................12 Highlights of UHRC Actions on Election 1.3 The scope of the report ..........................................................12 Related Issues 1.4 Methodology ............................................................................ 13 Recommendations 1.5 Target of the report ................................................................. 13 1.6 Expected outcome of the report .......................................... 13 1.7 Structure of the report ........................................................... 13 1.8 The 2016 General elections ..................................................14 CHAPTER TWO CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND .................................................16 2.1 Human rights and elections ..................................................16 2.2 Legal framework on elections ..............................................18 2.3 The political context in Uganda ..........................................20 CHAPTER THREE PREPAREDNESS FOR THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS .......26 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................. 26 3.2 Election administration ......................................................... 26 3.3 EC funding for 2016 general elections ..............................28 3.4 Voter and Civic education ....................................................28 3.5 Accreditation by the EC .......................................................30 3.6 The EC elections roadmap ...................................................30 3.7 Preparations for policing elections...................................... 31 3.8 Electoral reforms .................................................................... 33 3.9 Political parties ........................................................................ 35 3.10 Participation of civil society ................................................. 36 3.11 The UHRC Early Warning and Early Response Project . 37 i Uganda Human Rights Commission CHAPTER FOUR THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS ......................................................... 42 Focus on specific human rights and freedoms in elections .............................................................................................42 4.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................................42 4.2 The right to equality and non-discrimination ..........................................................................................................43 4.3 The right to join and form political organisations ..................................................................................................43 4.4 The right to vote .............................................................................................................................................................65 4.5 The right to stand for political office ........................................................................................................................ 84 4.6 Freedoms of expression, association, movement, assembly; access to information and the right to alternative sources of information ..................................................................... 100 4.7 Rights related to Election observation .....................................................................................................................118 4.8 Promotion and protection of human rights on polling days .............................................................................. 122 4.9 The role of security agencies .....................................................................................................................................168 4.10 The right to effective legal redress for violations of electoral rights ............................................................... 173 CHAPTER FIVE HIGHLIGHTS OF UHRC ACTIONS ON ELECTION RELATED ISSUES .............................................................. 180 5.1 Actions undertaken by the UHRC ........................................................................................................................... 180 5.2 Challenges ..................................................................................................................................................................... 190 CHAPTER SIX RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................................................................................................................192 6.1 Electoral reforms ..........................................................................................................................................................192 6.2 Party preparedness ......................................................................................................................................................192 6.3 Update and display of voters register .....................................................................................................................192 6.4 Nominations ..................................................................................................................................................................193 6.5 UHRC polling