GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally yesterday said that “by and large” both the media and the political parties have adhered to the codes of conduct that they had signed ahead of the elections.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Hotel Tower, Surujbally noted that media houses and political parties had signed on the specific codes produced by GECOM for the elections.
Surujbally said that the parties signed the Code of Conduct amidst much fanfare and had generally adhered to it. “By and large the political parties have not broken that code in any great and meaningful way that would result in violence and turbulence in the days ahead. And of that I feel very pleased,” he said.
He said that there would have been “sensationalist reports that the ink was not dry and they broke the code of conduct.” “The fact was in minor expressions, perhaps of exasperation, you will hear these things coming out,” Surujbally explained. The Chairman urged that similar codes be implemented in other countries ahead of elections.
Opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) party have both criticized the incumbent PPP/C for breaking the Code of Conduct and accused GECOM of standing by idly.
APNU has been trying to bring the “deliberate discrimination and misuse of the state media and state resources as well as the malicious name-calling by the ruling party” to GECOM’s attention but with no positive results, APNU candidate Lance Carberry said on Thursday. “GECOM has remained silent. It causes us to wonder, what was the value of this code of conduct? Because even before the ink dried on [it], the PPP was violating [it],” he added.
The PPP/C has also leveled similar accusations against APNU and the AFC.
The code affirmed each party’s recognition that “peace and public order, freedom of political campaigning, and compliance with electoral laws and regulations” are essential to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. The parties committed to act in accordance with all existing laws governing elections, including those related to campaign financing and accountability and the against the promotion of racial or ethnic tension. They also pledged to respect the integrity of the elections process and to cooperate with GECOM, the police and the military as well as to gracefully accept the election results.
Under the code, the parties affirmed their rejection of the use of violence and intimidation by their candidates, agents, members and supporters, including the procurement, possession or distribution of weapons for use in political activity. In particular, they denounce the violation of anyone because that person’s political allegiance. They have also committed to non-violent relations and mutual respect for each other as well as with media houses and media practitioners, while maintaining their right to respond in a factual manner to evident media transgressions.
Meanwhile, speaking about the media, Surujbally expressed his satisfaction at the coverage provided.
