Citizens Election Watch IT (CEW IT) is a coalition that brings together organisations from four regions of Uganda. Rwenzori region, West Nile region, Acholi region and Teso region. The organisations came together to collaborate on election monitoring.
A 2-day workshop on election monitoring was organised with two key objectives:
To map who is doing what in Uganda in the area of election monitoring, find synergies and draw a roadmap for various civil society actors in Uganda.
To share learning and experiences on election monitoring from the East Africa Community region including IT tools usage as an integral part of election monitoring.
Constitutional Review and Education Consortium (CRECO) from Kenya shared its experiences in election monitoring with the use of IT for the just concluded referendum in Kenya. They showed that the use of IT in the monitoring process provided a faster way of receiving information on incidents and disseminating results and information. CRECO shared the need for clear planning and strategies during the whole process of monitoring. A strategy for escalating incidents was set up, which helped CRECO solve challenges on the ground faster thus causing less disruptions to the work on the monitors.
ICT tools that can be used in the process of election monitoring were showcased. Ushahidi platform on which CRECO’s Uchaguzi platform is modelled was shown and explained. The web based platform allows users to visually see data by means of a map on various issues arising around election. Appafrica Uganda demonstrated the use of the swiftriver tool, which can speed up the process of filtering information received from field monitors thus speeding up the display and dissemination of issues arising and results. Makerere University demonstrated a mobile based application for data collection that eases the collection of data in the field.
A citizens manifesto which carries the wishes of the citizens of Uganda shall be launched in October. The manifesto puts citizens at the fore front of shaping the agenda of politicians and the political systems for which politicians and government should be working for.
The importance of working with the Electoral Commission in civic and voter education, and election monitoring was highlighted. Therefore organisations should have a relationship with the commission that is not antagonistic to achieve better outcomes.
The learning and experience shared at the workshop shall provide a background and basis to map activities of the various actors in election monitoring and provide a road map to guide organisations in Uganda in election monitoring for the coming months.
keep it up :)
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