Misrepresentation of the Electoral Commission as a Partisan Body

The Electoral Commission has noted with concern, the images which are circulating through various media especially social media platforms, where a truck bearing voter education messages and what appears to be ‘Electoral Commission’ logo, decorated with posters of one of the Presidential candidates, and carrying likely supporters of that candidate. 
    
The images have caused concern among stakeholders in the electoral process, over the impartiality of the election management body in the conduct of the elections. 

As soon as this matter came to the attention of the Electoral Commission, the Commission immediately launched an investigation and has since established the following: 

1.    The truck M/V Registration No. UAK 510E that appears in the pictures belongs to M/s Eclipse Marketing, managed by Dr. Mich Egwang, who rented it out to Strategic Friends International, one of the firms contracted by the Electoral Commission to conduct voter education for the 2016 General Elections, in Northern Region of Uganda. The truck was branded with Electoral Commission messages for purposes of launching road shows/breezes in various parts of Northern Uganda;

2.    After the launch, the same truck was hired out by the owner to other users who have no connection to the Electoral Commission. This was done before the original Electoral Commission branding and voter education messages were removed. 

This has created a very wrong impression about the Electoral Commission.

3.    The Electoral Commission has directed Strategic Friends International to remove the said logos, to avoid creating confusion among members of the public and the electorate. 

The owner of the truck has also issued a statement indemnifying the Electoral Commission from any ill-motive and/or partial conduct, and has undertaken to remove the Electoral Commission branding. 

The Electoral Commission has further noted that the logo and name which are portrayed in the pictures are not the official identity of the Commission. The Commission is taking up this matter with Strategic Friends International. 

We, therefore, caution the public, and our stakeholders to stop using unauthorized logo and name, when referring to the Commission. For avoidance of doubt, the official logo and name of the Electoral Commission are hereby attached. 

Similarly, firms which provide services to the Electoral Commission, including promotional campaigns, are cautioned to follow the agreed terms of reference, to avoid any situations that may portray the election management body in bad light. 

Finally, the Electoral Commission would like to allay the concerns of the general public and assure them that the Commission is not promoting any particular candidate in the 2016 General Elections. 

We are committed to ensuring that the campaigns are conducted in a fair and transparent manner. 

Nike

Friday, November 20, 2015