Nsereko, Nyanzi quietly march to Kampala nomination centre

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Kampala Central parliamentary aspirants this morning quietly entered the Ntinda Electoral Commission office as the Electoral Commission kicked off nominations. The exercise which started this morning across the country will run for two days.

The candidates to be nominated include directly elected MPs seats representing Counties and  Constituencies, District Woman MPs and City Woman MPs, collectively vying for 518 positions in the 11th parliament.

Although they were expected to appear amidst pomp with their supporters at the Kampala EC Nomination offices in Ntinda, Uganda Radio Network-URN observed a section of aspirants walk in early with two to four people in their company and later sat quietly waiting for nomination.

The incumbent Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko drove from his home in Bugoloobi in the company of his wife and arrived at the nomination centre shortly after 8:00 a.m. Nsereko noted that after the guidelines issued to all aspirants by the Electoral Commission, it would be risky for him to flout because this could be used to block his nomination.

Nyanzi Fred Ssentamu, the other aspirant who is holding the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag noted that having a procession to the nomination centre was not wise. “Following a security raid at our party offices on Wednesday, it wouldn’t be wise for me to have a procession before I am nominated. I can’t risk being arrested before I am nominated,” Nyanzi said.

In its guidelines for the nomination of candidates, the EC warned aspirants against processions and convoys as they present themselves for nomination since it would be a violation of the process and set COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The EC directed every aspirant to appear at the nomination centre with only four people in their company.

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URN