Elections Watch urges political parties to curb hate speech
By Sulayman Waan
Following the completion of its compilation of the Final Local Government Elections Observation Report, Elections Watch has tasked the various political parties to admonish their supporters to stop spreading hate speech, false information and violent actions during campaign events, over radios and on social media.
The Elections Watch, being one of the most credible local election observers, comprises various organisations with different expertise and backgrounds. Prior to the local government elections that were held in May , it deployed its observers across the country, and the final report is a product of that initiative.
Hence, the message to political party supporters was boldly outlined as one of its key recommendations in the Final Local Government Election Report that was released yesterday at its headquarters following a face-to-face with local journalists.
Also, it urges the monitoring and enforcement of the Inter-Party Committee (IPC)’s code of conduct for political parties “to minimise incidents of hate speech and other forms of political intolerance”, adding that those aggrieved should utilize the prescribed legal process to “pursue any complaints or grievances emanating from the electoral process”.
Election-related chaos and misunderstanding still being key issues in the electoral landscape, the election observer group emphasised the need for party agents to be trained on election procedures and understand their role in observing the voting and counting process.
However, their series of recommendations were not only directed to political parties, supporters and other stakeholders but also the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as well, as the body also mentioned that the IEC should enhance the training of its staff to ensure that they adequately understand election procedures, rules and regulations, including the role of observers in the process, to avoid any confusion.
SW/COB/24/11/23
