The impact of political advertising on candidates in Uganda: a case study of Rwenzori sub-region, for 2016 general elections

Abstract

The topic of the study was the impact of political advertising on candidates in Rwenzori sub region. The problem was low levels of support from voters to the candidates. The objectives the study were: to establish the extent of women participation in politics in Uganda; to find the challenges faced by women as they participate in politics and to explore the ways of how to improve women participation in politics. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, with descriptive and survey designs. The findings revealed the following: There has been diversity composition of partisans majorly by age and gender in Rwenzori sub-region, a mean of 2.80 fall under high implying that Political advertising has increased the number of partisan composition in Rwenzori sub-region, the mean of 2.80 faIl under high, implying that There has been increased rate of registration in Rwenzori sub region, the mean of 1.69 fall under low implying that there is low improvement rate in the mode of voting and the mean of 1.48 fall under low implying that there is equal number of men and women politicians in Rwenzori sub-region. The average mean of 2.76 on the effects of political advertising on voting intentions fall under high which gives a general implication that political advertising highly affects the voting intentions of the voters in Rwenzori Sub-region. The research findings from table 6 showed that total political advertising reduces mistakes by chasing experts, (2.61); that Information given on Television brings high turn up (2.39). All these fall under high implying a satisfactory interpretation. The average mean of 2.50 on the role of total political advertising on turn out of voters fall under high which gives a general implication that total political advertising highly improve the turnout of voters in Rwenzori sub-region. It can be concluded that there is less effects of political advertising on partisan composition in Rwenzori sub-region. It can also be concluded that political advertising highly affects the voting intentions of the voters in Rwenzori Sub-region. And that total political advertising highly improve the turnout of voters in Rwenzori sub-region. The researcher recommends to the government to always emphasize media coverage to improve on the partisan composition. The researcher recommends that political advertising he emphasized to change the voting intentions of community members and that emphasis should be on political advertising to improve on the turnout of voters in Rwenzori sub-region.