Cabinet has agreed that there will be no open campaigns leading to the 2021 General Elections, but rather virtual campaigns will take the centre stage.
According to sources, cabinet chaired by President Yoweri Museveni after thorough consultations with the Electoral Commission, have agreed that all campaigns will be conducted virtually through use of mass media such as Radios, Televisions, Zoom, social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, Twitter, Whatsapp and others.
This move is curb the community spread of the novel Coronavirus whose transmission in the country has reached stage 3. According to cabinet, virtual campaigns will break the chain of mass concentration which is a breeding ground for the spread of COVID-19 because it will be difficult to observe social distancing.
In his March 18 presidential address, President Museveni banned all religious, political and cultural gatherings.
Apparently, candidates will have to struggle for online services, while those in remote areas will use radios to campaign at their own cost.
Statistics from Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) show that radios are the most reliable means of mass communication considering that 95% of the population have access to a radio.
Next week, the Electoral Commission headed by Justice Simon Byamukama is expected to address the media on these latest campaign road map and guidelines.
Apparently, the NRM party leadership also intends to revise the method of voting in the party Primaries to allow use of ballot papers rather than the lining up method that was recently adopted in the Party Constitution.
It is confirmed that Electoral Commission will conduct the general elections in February 2021 despite the COVID-19 Pandemic.