The National Unity Platform(NUP) has refused to stay off red colour as recommended by the electoral commission noting that there is no monopoly over colours.
The remarks come shortly after the Electoral Commission warned the party led by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, against using the colour red, saying it is reserved by the Uganda People’s Congress.
According to the EC officials NUP applied for a change of its colours to make red the dominant one, but the request was turned down because the colour had already been taken by another party.
The deputy spokesperson, Electrol commission, Paul Buekenya said this matter of colour was addressed to the NUP as a party because it is registered but not People Power a pressure group.
“And as a registered political party ,it is required to comply with the provisions of the political party organisation act so if there is a symbol, colour or slogan that is being used by another registered political party, then we can’t assign it to another registered political party because that would create conflicts,”said Bukenya.
He explained that their guidance was very clear and they stand by it because it is provided under political party organisation act which spell out clearly identification of colours and how to register a party among others.
“There is a political party that has already presented and identify themselves by that colour. We can’t clear another party with the same colour.It will create conflicts in the field and our guidance is based on the law,” Bukenya said.
But in response, NUP spokesperson,Joel Ssenyonyi said there is no monopoly over colours arguing that the party has three officials colours but they chose red as its dominant colour.
“The NUP party constitution provides for three colours ,colour red,colour white and colour navy blue and that constitution is with the electoral commission,the supervisor of political parties like ours ,so the constitution is with them and it has all the three colours.They here never said no to that,” Ssenyonyi said during an interview with NBS television.
He argued that other parties like FDC has white, a bit of red and blue, but they chose to use blue noting that they have also chosen red.
“As far as we are concern,we are saying we are using our three colours and that’s is red, white and navy blue.That is what is provided for in our constitution.We are not importing alien colour that is not provided for, in our constitution, “he said.
Recently, Bobi Wine unveiled the National Unity Platform as the political wing of his pressure group, the People Power, which is unregistered.
The army had also queried the group’s use of red berets, which is gazetted for the UPDF.
In 2019 ,government gazetted the red beret similar to one commonly donned by Bobi Wine’s People Power Pressure group.
According to the gazette, the red beret is part of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces’ marks, accessories, insignia, decoration and uniform as provided for under section 160 of the UPDF Act 2005.
In the gazette, government subsequently banned the sale or use of the beret which part of the military uniform by any member of the public or else they face dire consequences.
Government also banned the sale or wearing of any attire which resembles the army uniform which also includes the red beret which may deceive the public.
However, during the launch of the party last month, NUP also unveiled an umbrella with red and white as the party’s symbol.
On a number of occasions, Bobi Wine insisted and dismissed the army ban on wearing red berets and urged his supporters to continue donning them.