Different electoral stakeholders across Africa in the a group photo at summit in Kampala (PHOTO/Nelson Mandela).KAMPALA – The inaugural Electoral Integrity Summit in Africa brought together experts and stakeholders from across the continent to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing electoral integrity in Africa. The summit, held in Kampala, Uganda, on September 10th, 2024, aimed to strengthen electoral transparency, public oversight, and collaborative reforms.Henry Muguzi, Executive Director of the Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), emphasized the importance of citizen election observation in building and safeguarding election integrity. He noted that election observers provide a crucial bridge between the electorate and electoral institutions, and their role cannot be underrated.Muguzi highlighted the significance of the summit, saying, “This summit is one in a series of efforts aimed at safeguarding and advancing democracy in Africa. We aim to bring together people into conversations on democracy because it’s essential that citizens remain at the forefront of shaping it.”Muguzi also noted that the summit was a response to the growing concerns about electoral integrity in Africa, where several countries have experienced disputed elections, violence, and manipulation of the electoral process.He emphasized that the summit aimed to provide a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, challenges, and best practices in ensuring electoral integrity.David Onen, Political Affairs at the East African Community (EAC), highlighted the importance of gender equality, social justice, and other rights and freedoms in ensuring electoral integrity. He emphasized that electoral processes must work together with other aspects of the system to deliver credible elections.Onen noted, “We cannot talk about electoral integrity without considering the broader context of democracy. Gender equality, social justice, and other rights and freedoms are essential components of electoral integrity.”He also emphasized the need for electoral management bodies to be independent, impartial, and transparent in their operations. He noted that the EAC had developed a framework for electoral integrity, which includes guidelines for electoral management bodies, political parties, and civil society organizations.Dr. Sallie Simba Kayunga, Commissioner at the Uganda Electoral Commission, emphasized the importance of a clean voter register, nomination, and the right to participate in the electoral process.He noted that the commission will display the voter register at all polling stations for three weeks to ensure accuracy and uphold the right to stand as candidates. Kayunga said, “We believe in relation to the right to vote, the voter register should be 100% clean. That is the best way of ensuring that subsequent events will result in a highly respected electoral process.”The summit featured panel discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions, providing a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, challenges, and best practices in ensuring electoral integrity. Participants included electoral management bodies, civil society organizations, political parties, and international organizations.One of the panel discussions focused on the role of technology in ensuring electoral integrity. The panelists noted that technology had the potential to enhance electoral integrity, but also posed risks, such as cyber attacks and manipulation of the electoral process.Another panel discussion focused on the importance of inclusive elections, where all citizens, including marginalized groups, have the opportunity to participate. The panelists noted that inclusive elections were essential for building trust and confidence in the electoral process.The summit also featured a presentation by the African Union’s Political Affairs Department, which highlighted the importance of electoral integrity in promoting peace and stability in Africa. The presentation noted that electoral disputes and violence had been a major challenge to peace and stability in Africa, and that ensuring electoral integrity was essential for promoting democracy and human rights.Through this summit, ACFIM aimed to continue its efforts in safeguarding and advancing democracy in Africa, following previous summits in Lusaka, Zambia, Accra, Ghana, and Nairobi on artificial intelligence and elections in Africa. The summit sought to amplify the voices of election observers, foster strong observation between electoral management bodies, regional platforms, and other stakeholders. It also aimed to reflect on the significance of International Democracy Day, which is celebrated on September 5th, 2024.Relatedhttps://www.pmldaily.com/news/2024/09/kampala-summit-seeks-to-strengthen-electoral-transparency-accountability-in-africa.html
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