E-Enabling as a Technological Platform for Electoral Democracy in Uganda

Abstract

Globally, failure to have active, effective, and full participation in elections makes democracy wishful thinking. Considering the ineffectiveness of traditional methods of political participation alone, online political participation (e-enabling), especially through the use of the internet and social media, comes in handy in a bid to have a fair and credible election. This study investigates how e-enabling can act as a technological platform for electoral democracy in Uganda. Specifically, the study aims to establish the relationship between e-enabling and electoral democracy among citizens in Uganda. Using the mixed methods, under a descriptive correlational survey, a sample of N=482 respondents were in the study. Based on Pearson’s correlation coefficients, results reveal that e-enabling is significantly related to electoral democracy. Providing platforms like fair electoral policies and guidelines to enable people freely adopt and utilise the internet in elections through free social media, free or low-cost internet, good nationwide networks, minimising internet shutdowns so that all electoral stakeholders can freely express themselves and actively engage in all stages of the electoral process with the utmost fairness, transparency and accountability will go a long way in having e-enabling as a technological platform for strengthening electoral democracy in Uganda