ASSESSING THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROMOTION OF VIOLENCE FREE ELECTIONS IN THE WA MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

The study examined the contribution of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to the promotion of violence free elections in the Wa Municipality. The main sources of data collection were primary and secondary sources. Questionnaire and interview were used to collect data from the field. Data analysis was done in narrative form and a data presentation was done using tables. The findings of the study revealed that the contributions of CSOs to the promotion of violence free elections in the Municipality has been in the area of education/advertising, community sensitisation, training, dialogue, public policing, post election review meetings among others. Again, the study revealed that the strength of CSOs in the Municipality is found in the methodology, the use of local languages, the neutrality, credibility, integrity and visibility of CSOs among others. The findings of the study also revealed that CSOs in the Municipality face several challenges in the promotion of violence free elections in the Municipality and these include funding, insecurity among others. The study recommends that donor organisations and CSOs must increase spending for the promotion of violence free elections through monetary funding and human resourcing. There must and should be the increased use of local personnel as well as local languages for the promotion of violence free elections since local personnel understand the local terrain in the Municipality and since most people can easily understand what is being communicated.