EC Renews Partnership with CCEDU

Three months after the Electoral Commission suspended the election observation activities of CCEDU, the two institutions have met and agreed to renew their partnership.

On Wednesday, officials from the Citizen’s Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) met with the leadership of Electoral Commission and resolved to end the stalemate.

In July this year, EC Chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama wrote a letter to CCEDU coordinator, Crispin Kaheeru suspending the relationship with CCEDU “until further notice”.

EC faulted CCEDU for partisanship contrary to the set guidelines to conduct voter education and other electoral activities as stipulated in Section 12 1 (i) of the Electoral Commission Act (Cap 140).

Following today’s meeting Crispin Kaheru said that EC has now acknowledged the importance of CCEDU’s work in election observation and voter education

“Today, CCEDU held a meeting with the Electoral Commission following its suspension of its electoral related activities by the Commission on 4th July this year,” Kaheru said.

“CCEDU is pleased to note that the Electoral Commission acknowledged the importance of our work in electoral observation and voter education with regard to promote electoral integrity,” he added.

The meeting, he said, has agreed “that both EC and CCEDU renew their partnership immediately”.

Another resolution from the meeting was for both institutions to adopt an agreed upon communication strategy that will enable both EC and CCEDU to perform their duties independently as per their respective mandates.