ELECTIONWATCH: CCEDU, NICE-U Mobilise Voters In Acholi Sub Region

By Our Reporter

 

GULU, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA|As days get numbered for the general elections due on January 14 2021, mobilisation of voters is entering a peak phase.

Out of the 18,103,603 million voters, 75% are aged between 18 – 35 and this category of voters are impressionable and the majority are on the internet and have phones.

It is for this reason that Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) and Nice U have partnered with support from the UN Women Uganda to mobilize youth in Uganda.

The mobilization that kicked off in Makerere University under the Mulembe Gwa Digito before rolling out to Uganda Christian University in Mukono University now rolled to Gulu University.

Scores of Youth in Nakasongola, Bweyale, Kigumba, Oyam, Omoro. Gulu and surrounding communities were taught how to embrace digital while campaigning and soliciting for votes.

The UN Women with its partners CCEDU and NICE-U are playing a critical role of voter education ahead of the 2021 Elections. The campaign aims at reaching  10 million voters of the 18,103,603 registered voters ahead of the January 14, 2021, electoral process.

“With 7 days to D-Day CCEDU/NICE-U and UN-WOMEN will continue to mobilise Ugandans to mobilise their peers to participate, engage and vote in the election as part of fulfilling their civic duty of deciding on who leads them as provided in the Constitution Article 1 clause 4,” noted CCEDU’s Executive Director, Charity Ahimbisibwe.

Ahimbisibwe who addressed the youth in Gulu said CCEDU will not stop until Election Day, but will also proceed to mobilise Ugandans to participate in the local government elections.

In Gulu, the voter mobilisation campaign dubbed Omulembe Gwa Digito attracted over 50 students who were sensitized on how to vote. Apart from the students, CCEDU mobilised boda- boda youths and encouraged them to do peer-to-peer voter mobilisation and education on the best way to poll.

The youngsters were educated on the value of their vote and how to cast it. Apart from the youth, the voter mobilisation campaign was also taken to market women in Gulu, Bweyale, Oyam, Omoro and Nakasongola. The women were told they are the majority voters and should not relegate their right to vote because every vote counts.

UN Women has supported CCEDU/NICE-U to mobilise women and youth to participate in the 2021 Electoral processes. In view of this CCEDU/NICE-U crafted a voter mobilisation campaign that encourages largely youth and women to turn up in big numbers and vote on January 14, 2021. The Campaign encourages youth and females to find information on their phones, the internet , radio, TV and generally participate safely in the 2021 General Elections.

Mulembwa Gwa Digito heads to Western Uganda

Seeing that the 2021 Elections are going to be held in a COVID-19 Context, CCEDU in support of the Electoral Commission mandate of voter education has brought its voter mobilisation campaign Omulembe Gwa Digito, Beera Mu Class to Masaka, to encourage voters to participate, engage and turn up in big numbers to vote.

CCEDU will be encouraging voters in Masaka, Lwengo, Rakai, Lyantonde, Kyazanga and Mbarara to pick their voter Location slips and participate in the 2021 electoral processes. According to Ahimbisibwe, CCEDU will educate voters on how to cast their vote and will share all the new guidelines the Electoral Commission has shared ahead of the election next week.

Some of the guidelines include, voters, not being allowed to stay near the polling stations after casting their votes because of COVID-19. Also that no voter will be allowed to carry a mobile phone into the polling station or near the polling stations. Guided by the principles of transparency; accountability of electoral systems; respect for human and civic rights; tolerance; gender equity and equal opportunity; non-partisan citizen participation, CCEDU will continue to put out voter education messages on radio, through the phones, give out fliers in communities and educate the voter on how to participate in the election.