On 16th JUNE 2020, electoral commission launched the revised election road map and proposed Digital political campaigns ahead of the 2021 general election. According to the electoral commission, the administrative changes announced were designed with a view of integrating amendments that promote health and safety measure to control the spread of COVID-19. Electoral commission then announced that elections campaigns will be conducted with Standard Operating Procedures to facilitate safe participation by stakeholders in elections day activities.

Whereas the Electoral commission was proactive in proposing Digital campaigns, stakeholders received this with mixed reaction and sighted the action as being unfair and unconstitutional because it does not conform to provisions in section 21 of the presidential elections Act, section 20 of the parliamentary elections Act and section 122 of the Local Government Act on campaigns meetings and rallies, but also that the proposed Digital campaigns method in the framework of the revised roadmap lacks a supportive legislative framework as well as required infrastructure to ensure free, fair, inclusive, and credible electoral process. Something that CIDD-UG and FOWODE anticipated to greatly affecting achievement of citizen participation to ensure free, fair, inclusive, and credible electoral process within COVID-19 crisis. The most affected here are youth and women.

For purposes of mending the situation to create greater acceptance for collective responsibility to ensure free, fair, inclusive, and credible electoral process within COVID-19 crisis. CIDD-UG in partnership with FOWODE conducted Eastern Region election stakeholder conversation to lay strategies on how to Mobilize and enhance greater citizen engagement in the 2021 General electoral process within COVID-19 Crisis through sustained civic and voter education around the revised electoral commission roadmap and COVID-19 campaign guidelines.

This activity brought together 30 key election stakeholders in the four Districts of Bukedi sub region including Pallisa, kibuku, Butebo and Budaka in the category of Electoral commission returning officers, political party representatives, CSOs, District Local Government leaders, Media, religious and opinion leaders.

MEETING VOTER EDUCATION STRATIES

1. CIDD-UG and FOWODE to enhance rural democracy ride as a good strategy for voter education for reaching rural areas that are always not reached with voter education.
2. Greater emphasis was put on media engagement to provide citizens with information on election process by CSOs and Electoral Commission.
3. Electoral commission should Monitor and Control security interference with political party election process including campaigns.
4. The electoral commission should ensure recruitment of qualified non partisan staff to manage elections including proper monitoring of its field staff.

The key immediate outcomes of these engagements were:-
(1) Enhanced awareness among political parties and CSOs on the revised electoral commission roadmap, COVID-19 safety measures and campaign guidelines.
(2) The meeting also achieved fair trust and understanding between electoral commission, political parties and CSOs to engage for peaceful free and faire 2021 General elections in the region as electoral commission opened up for meaningful partnerships in the electoral processes.
(3) Consensus built on how to share vital 2021 General election information by electoral commission to reduce possible violence that could arise during and after elections as a result of inadequate electoral information sharing .