The promoters of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) have given the Electoral Commission a one-week ultimatum to start the registration process of their party or risk facing legal action. 

Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who doubles as the faction’s interim president, said on Monday at a press briefing that they are determined to register PFF and shall drag the electoral commission to court if they are not issued registration forms to start the process of registering their party. 

“The electoral commission is hereby given one week within which to issue the promoters of PFF with the requisite registration forms as provided for under Section 7(2) of the Political Parties and Organizations Act lest we shall take legal action,” Lukwago said. 

Lukwago said the allegations that the colors they sought to use are absolutely distinct from sky blue, which was registered by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). 

“Allegation of similarity in colors with FDC is not there because royal blue is absolutely distinct from sky blue registered by FDC… No single political party can register partent for a primary color,” he said, adding that “nobody is going to stop us from using this royal blue. We have emotional attachment to it already.”. 

The Lord Mayor also said registration of PFF cannot be blocked by the electoral commission because ‘the law prohibits names similar to those of registered parties, not those in process of registration.’. 

The Electoral Commission wrote to the promoters of PFF, advising them to consider using another name and colors different from those they had sought to reserve because their name, People’s Front for Freedom, resembles that of People Power Front and their colors are similar to those of FDC.

Mulekwah Leonard, the secretary to the commission, said the similarities will bring about confusion.

“The submissions in respect of names of the proposed political party, People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), closely resemble an already reserved political party name, People Power Front (PPF), which is likely to confuse members of the public,” he said.

He added that “the choice of white and royal blue as colors closely resembles that of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and is likely to confuse the general public. Please refer to the symbol in use by the FDC Party.”.

The commission also said that Section 7(1)(c) of the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2005 (as amended) requires that the application for registration of a political party or organization should be accompanied, among others, by a full description of the identifying symbols, slogans, and colors that PFF promoters did not provide.

Besides, Section 8 of the Political Parties and Organizations’ Act prohibits the usage of a color, name, or initials of any registered political party or organization.

However, Lukwago said reservation of the name, symbols, slogans, and color before registration is desirous but not mandatory and that they cannot be denied registration forms because of allegations of similarity in colors and name.

By ChimpReports