Party symbols, colors and claims of deliberate misrepresentation are sticking issues in the ongoing presidential, parliamentary and local council campaigns.
The challenge arises from significant disagreements within the mainstream parties.
In the National Resistance Movement, for instance, people dissatisfied with the party's primary elections have been nominated as independent candidates for local council positions. Despite orders from their secretariat, they are insisting on using the widely recognized yellow NRM and symbols in their campaigns.
The Inter-Party Coalition (IPC) is facing a similar problem in constituencies where members of the alliance have failed to agree on a single candidate for election. The dispute in the IPC revolves around whether a politician seeking election can use the coalition symbol or stands a better chance at the polls by identifying with individual parties.
In the Democratic Party, the fall out is much greater.
Yesterday, Badru Kiggundu the Electoral Commission chairperson was forced to intervene in the row between presidential candidates Norbert Mao and Samuel Lubega.
Both men are long-time members of DP. Mao is standing for presidency as leader of DP. By virtue of this, he claims the right to use the DP colors – white and green – and the party symbol of a fist and a hoe.
Lubega contends that Mao's leadership of DP is illegitimate and he has continued to use the party's symbols and slogans in his campaigns.
Kiggundu warned that if Lubega insists on defying the law against deliberate misrepresentation in his campaign, he would be disqualified from the presidential elections.
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Samuel Lubega could not be reached for comment. He was busy on the campaign trail in Mayuge.
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