Political Rights
These are political entitlements that enable individuals to elect public officials or themselves to hold public office.
Political rights and responsibilities of Citizens
Political rights for Individual citizens include right to:
- Form or participate in the formation of a political party.
- Participate in the activities of a political party.
- Campaign for a political party or a cause.
- Free, fair and regular elections based on universal suffrage.
- Be registered as a voter.
- Vote by secret ballot on any election or referendum.
- Be a candidate for a public office or office within a Political Party of which the citizen is a member.
- Hold office if elected.
- Contesting for elections.
- Voting in elections.
- Being informed.
- Participating in political meetings
- Attending community or civic meetings
- Being members of private, public and voluntary organizations
- Paying taxes
- Upholding peace
Political rights and responsibilities of women, youth, elderly, marginalized, persons with disabilities and people in correctional facilities.
- To be treated with dignity and respect.
- Have access to all places, political rallies and information
- Have access to all materials and devices to overcome constraints that may
- impede their enjoyment of political rights
- Have opportunities to associate, be represented and participate in political activities
Barriers to citizens’ realization of political rights
- Cultural practices that hinder the participation of special groups in the political process.
- Discrimination
- Political violence/intolerance.
- Lack of, or inadequate information on electoral process.
- Difficulty in acquiring national identification documents required for registration as a voter.
- Illiteracy
- Lack of information in accessible formats for persons with disability.
Role of citizens in enforcement of their political rights
Citizens can enforce their political rights by:
- Registering as a voter.
- Voting
- Offering themselves as candidates.
- Scrutinizing candidates for elections.
- Maintaining peace during elections.
- Petitioning the government.
- Recalling elected members of National Assembly and Senate
