Mobile security committee to monitor companies, organisations working on election day

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Government has instituted a mobile security committee to monitor companies, factories and organisations to ensure that workers vote on Election Day. 

The Deputy Kampala Resident City Commissioner-DRCC in Charge of Nakawa Division, Herbert Anderson Burora disclosed this at a press conference at the government-owned Uganda Media Council on Monday ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections on Thursday.  

According to Burora, the decision stems from information from their intelligence teams indicating that various organisations and companies have issued internal memos informing their employees that January 14th, 2021 will be a normal working day. He says the mobile security committee will move mainly around companies that have more than a thousand workers. 

“So if you deny such numbers from voting, it has a big implication on the total turn-up of the total number of voters. We remind companies and organisations, workplaces and other related entities that every citizen who is 18 years and above, registered as a voter has a right to exercise his or her rights,” he said.     

He cited Article 59 (3) of the Republic of Uganda, which empowers the state to take all necessary steps to ensure that citizens who are eligible to vote exercise their rights. Buroro, who represented Resident City Commissioners of various city divisions that didn’t turn up at the media centre, called upon companies and organisations to accordingly organize for the 14th of January, 2021, make sure that they allow their workers to go and vote.

He encouraged workers to also use a mobile number 0703479383 that has been recommended by the DRCCs to report companies or organisations that have issued internal memos attempting to compel them to work on voting day.   

Burora requested the public to maintain peace, adding that violence does not only affect the leaders but the general public, economy, families and children. 

He asked the public not to fear security forces at polling stations but seek help once needed.       

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