UDP Seeks Judicial Review Over Election Color Controversy, Chief Elections Officer Weighs In

Chief Election Officer Josephine Tamai has weighed in on the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) decision to seek judicial review and challenge a decision by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). This week, the UDP, led by Moses Barrow, spoke out against the EBC’s decision to allow Tracy Panton’s slate to use the red color associated with the UDP in the upcoming general elections. Barrow is seeking an interim injunction to prevent the group from using the UDP colors. He asserts that the decision was made without lawful authority and violates their constitutional rights. The leader argues that Panton’s slate was not officially endorsed by the UDP and should not be allowed to represent themselves under the UDP banner. Today, Tamai weighed in on the situation and explained that while it was a decision taken by the commission, she believes it was done after multiple attempts to work with both groups.

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer: “Well I have heard about it and that is a matter that I believe will be addressed to the Commission. And I’m certain that legal advice will be gotten in regards to that. But we all know that the Commission, the Electoral Boundaries Commission, has the authority to assign colors. And both sides have said it’s one UDP and who are you to say otherwise? And so a decision had to be taken. I know that the chairman has already explained that process so I don’t believe I need to get into that, because that’s a commission decision. And so whenever the commission makes a decision as a department, then we carry out those. Like I said, the chairman has already went public in terms of explaining the process that the commission went through in terms of coming to that decision. They are allowed to indicate if they want an AKA on the ballot paper, because sometimes people claim that nobody really knows their real name, right? And it’s unfortunate what is happening as a public officer and many people might think that when it comes to politics we’re involved but we’re separate and apart. We have no political affiliation as public officers. And so whatever the commission decides those are what we actually carry out. I am not a commission member. I have no vote on the commission. Because I know some people tend to confuse the two many times but we all have our roles and responsibilities. And so we know that the commission is made up of five persons and so they’re the ones who would vote on any decision that needs to be taken.”

The legal action calls for the EBC’s decision to be quashed and for the court to affirm that UDP’s color should only be used by duly authorized UDP candidates.