https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/the-elective-politics-of-gerrymandering-2458554
With
the mandate vested in Article 63(1) of the constitution of Uganda, parliament
approved 46 new constituencies comprised of 45 counties, Nakawa divided to make
Nakawa west constituency and 10 district were given city status ahead of the
2021 general elections. This brings the number of constituencies to 353. The
approval of the constituencies came after the Electoral commissions road map
roll out for the 2021 general elections and before the youth and special groups
elections.
Amidst
contention from the opposition, the August house approved the creation of more
constituencies. It should be highlighted that the process of creating new
constituencies before the general elections has become characteristic of the
political life of Uganda. In 2015, ahead of the 2016 general elections, Hon. Adolf
Mwesigye, the then Minister of local government passed a motion for the
creation of 39 counties which was ultimately approved and passed by parliament
on the 20th August 2015. With no accountability of service delivery
and feasibility from the previous constituencies created, one wonders if it is
plausible to have another 46 constituencies approved.
It
begs the questions, are the new constituencies geared towards service delivery
or are they a clear case of gerrymandering? Which if not stopped will continue
to minimise the already struggling pillars of democratic processes in the
election cycle of Uganda.
Gerrymandering
fosters party power manipulations of the elections and the electorate and it
should be stopped. Many Ugandans look at a constituency and district or city
status as equal to a service provided. It is reasoned that with the over
decentralisation comes ease of access to service delivery but the reverse is
true, continued decentralisation makes service delivery hard and many resources
are lost catering for administrative cost.
Additionally,
given the recent economic shocks experienced during the COVID-19 outbreak that
have left many people financially constrained, creation of new constituencies
promises a burden on the tax payers in the long run. Consequently, one wonders
if the creation of new constituencies is viable, if not to influence the 2021
general elections.
Gerrymandering
promises party loyalists and sycophants a chance at representation and an
increase in the numbers in parliament for the ruling party. The created constituencies
will be a campaign point for many political aspirants in the ruling party and
as such, even those who lost at the primaries will have a chance to run as
independents in the coming elections.
The
challenges gerrymandering poses lie in the legitimacy of the ballot. The
majority of the electorate have been disenfranchised with the separation of
constituencies and the creation of new polling grounds. This disempowers their votes;
in other words, they are up against a stolen vote because their vote will be
rendered useless in that case. The subdivision of the constituencies amounts to
theft engaged in by the ruling party and this undermines the key principles of
free and fair elections utmost the rule of democracy.
It
is imperative to note, that the real politics of the land happens in the heat
of the electoral cycle long before the ballot is cast because then the ruling
party restructures its battle ground and creates a map that will foster more
representatives in parliament than those of the opposition. As a result, single
party control of redistribution of constituencies fosters partisan unfairness
more than any other variable. It is a strong highpoint of rigging the system
for one’s benefit.
The
rationale of creating constituencies should have a standard format and it
should have a systematic flow to it. It is imperative to note that in
gerrymandering we falter the jurisdiction provided for the Electoral Commission
to exercise its mandate to create constituencies.
Gerrymandering
not only accentuates the ever growing political polarization among the
political parties in Uganda but also creates a greater divided among the
electorate in the communities. The electorate need to create a homogenous voice
in regard to the needs and baseline requirements needed in their politicians. In
the absence of the national consensus and a national agenda on what the citizenry
desire from the restructuring of constituencies, politicians will continue to
use gerrymandering as mechanism for divide and rule.
Redistricting
should shift from the hands of the legislators into the hands of non-partisan
commissions that can help restructure the constituencies, with a common goal of
service delivery and resource mobilisation. Only then can the electorate have
their say in how and when the redistricting can take place.
Conclusively,
in our effort to preserve democracy and to have free and fair elections in
Uganda, we need to be conscious of every attempt and ploy that is employed to
disempower the electorate in their choice of leaders. For that reason, it is
important to have any form of new legislation and policy order that directly
affects the general elections happen at the beginning of a new electoral term
rather than close to the general election.
TRICIA GLORIA NABAYE
RESIDENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATE: GREAT
LAKES INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES
