The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luweero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Electoral Commission has okayed the nomination of aspirants for the Special Interest Groups-SIGs elections even when their names are not on the register. In February this year, Electoral Commission compiled a new register for Special Interest Groups elections.
Last week, the Commission embarked on the nomination of candidates for Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Village committees using the new register. The candidates include older persons, Persons with Disabilities and Youths. The exercise is expected to end on August 5th, 2020.
However, several Persons with Disabilities filled complaints after being blocked from nomination exercise on grounds that they were missing on the SIGs register despite appearing on the National Voter’s Register.
With the exercise nearing its end, Electoral Commission has issued a circular okaying the nomination of interested persons even when their names don’t appear on the SIGs register.
According to the Aug 3rd, 2020 circular issued by the Acting Electoral Commission Secretary General, Leonard Mulekwa, the Commission has decided that persons appearing on the National Voter’s Register in their respective parishes of residence but are missing on the SIGs register should be nominated and included on the register.
Mulekwa further clarified that Persons with Disabilities who appear on the Youths or Older Persons register and the PWD register can be nominated for elective offices provided that they don’t vie for office of chairperson on both committees at the same time.
Mulekwa has directed returning officers across the country to urgently advise Assistant Returning Officers presiding over SIGs nominations to consider the persons. Paul Bukenya, the Electoral Commission Deputy Spokesperson has confirmed the circular.
As result, Assistant Returning Officers in Luweero have since called some of those they had turned away to return for nominations. Bernard Ssemakula, an aspirant for the PWD Committee chairperson’s seat for Kasana Market village zone in Luweero town is among who had been blocked but was later called for nominations.
Ssemakula says he personally appears on the National Voters and old PWD registers but was surprised to find his name missing on the newly created SIGs register. Ssemakula is however worried that many other persons may miss the nominations and be turned away from participating in the upcoming elections.
He also blasted EC for the confusion and failure to publicize the entire exercise.
Herbert Ssemakula, the Luweero District PWD councilor has also expressed concern that the confusion of missing names may resurface on polling day. He wants EC to revise the register before the elections are conducted. The village SIGs elections are expected to start on August 10th, 2020.
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