34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?

PART VI - ELECTION CAMPAIGN

(a) Election Campaigning

Election campaign materials

86. (1) Upon the commencement of an election campaign candidates and political parties may, in addition to regular campaigning,

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(b) make use of the press, radio, television and other media form;

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(c) Use of Radio and Television

Air time on radio and TV

93. (1) The Commission shall, during an election campaign period, ensure that equal time is given to each candidate and national party on the public radio and television.

(2) The Commission shall, in compliance with subsection (1), determine the time to be allocated to each candidate and political party per day or such other period as the Commission may consider reasonable, taking into account the number of candidates and political parties making a request under subsection (3).

Use of private radio and Television stations

94. (1) Every candidate and political party shall Television stations enjoy the right to use private radio stations and television stations under the contract.

(2) A private radio station or television station shall, during an election campaign period, guarantee to each candidate and political party, in accordance with the principle stated in subsection (1). A minimum air time of five minutes.

Rates of air time

95. (1) Every radio station and television station, whether public or private shall, within seven days of a declaration being made under section 85, prepare and present to the Commission the rates they intend to charge for air time for candidates and political parties.

(2) Upon receipt of the rates, the Commission shall, if it considers it reasonable so to do, enter into negotiations with the persons concerned in the management of the radio stations and television stations for purposes of (a) finalising the rates; and (b) ensuring fairness in the distribution of air time.

(3) The Commission shall publish the rates agreed upon under subsection (2) and a copy of such rates shall be made available, free of charge, to each candidate and political party upon request. (4) A candidate or political party requesting to be given air time in pursuance of section 93 or 94 shall pay the rates published by the Commission under subsection (3).

(Elections Decree, Decree 78 of 1996, available at http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/87126/98990/F1626110084/GMB87126.pdf accessed February 2018).