Description

General Introduction

This report documents views generated from citizens during a survey conducted in different districts across Uganda. The survey is part of several activities being undertaken under the project, The Road to 2016: Citizens’ Perception of Uganda’s Forthcoming 2016 Elections. The project is implemented by the Human Rights and Peace Centre (HURIPEC) of the School of Law, Makerere University and Kituo Cha Katiba: Eastern Africa Centre for Constitutional Development (KcK). The project seeks to contribute towards Uganda’s democratic process by providing a critical assessment and evaluation of the pre-election conditions and its potential contribution to the 2016 election. The project had different components but this specific report is from the survey – one of the activities of the project.

The survey aimed at achieving the following specific objectives:

i) To provide a forum for Ugandans to air their views on various key issues relating to elections in general and the upcoming 2016 general elections in particular.

ii) To examine the relevance of citizens as bearers of rights in elections in Uganda.

iii) To provide up-to-date analytical information about the pre-electoral process.

The survey team was split into two. Team One comprised: Dr Ronald Mayambala Kakungulu, Ms Anne Kiiza and Ms Isabella Abalo; and Team Two comprised: Mr Peter Magelah Gwayaka and Ms Joyce Freda Apio.

The first part of this report was written by Team One, who visited the districts of Lira, Soroti, Hoima, Luweero, Sembabule, Kampala, Kayunga and Mbale. In each of the districts, 2-3 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with citizens and 4-5 officials were interviewed as key informants (KIs). The officials included the Registrar Electoral Commission, members of the Uganda Police Force (UPF), the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and a Local Council representative to the district. The report is arranged in themes

The second part of the report was written by Team Two, who visited the districts of Iganga, Busia, Amuru, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Kanungu, Kasese, Kapchorwa and Nakapiripirit. The KIs they interviewed included district officials (LCV chairpersons, CAOs, district police commanders (DPCs) and district registrars of the Electoral Commission (EC)). FDGs were conducted with representatives of political parties, persons with disabilities, business associations, youth and women groups at urban and local levels. A total of 25 people participated in the FGDs in each district visited.