The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Eleven aspirants who returned forms to run in the 2021 presidential elections blame the Electoral Commission for failure to nominate them. They are part of the 24 aspirants who returned the nomination forms for verification.
In total 87 aspirants picked the presidential nomination forms, but the majority of them didn’t return them to EC. Only 11 aspirants were successfully nominated as presidential candidates after fulfilling the requirements.
Although the Electoral Commission ejected 13 aspirants for alleged failure to raise the required signatures, the aspirants most of whom claim to have met all the requirements, blame the Commission for favouring some aspirants, having a messy election management data base and deploying limited manpower to verify their documents.
Brenda Katushemererwe, one of those who missed the nominations, says she observed many challenges but the major one was unfair treatment of some aspirants by the EC. She says that she was severally sent to look for more signatures but her files kept disappearing.
Dan Matsiko, another aspirant says despite mobilising the nomination fees of Shillings 20 million and submitting the required signatures; the verification of his papers was still ongoing by close of the presidential nominations on Tuesday. According to Matsiko, he is still seeking an audience with the Commission to understand why he wasn’t nominated.
Jotham Yamureebire, another aspirant says EC told him that some of the signatures that he submitted had already been submitted by other aspirants. According to Yamureebire, he wrote to the Commission but didn’t get a response.
Charles Bbaale, the Ecological Party of Uganda (EPU) presidential candidate says EC told him he was missing four signatures from Luuka district but even after getting them they couldn’t be verified by the Commission.
Robert Mbulanbago Mutono, another aspirant told URN last week that as far as he is concerned, EC was still verifying his papers since he hadn’t received any official commission on the verification exercise.
Geoffrey Okoth, another aspirant says EC frustrated their bid by deploying one officer to verify their papers.
Fred Wakuri Chemukwo, another aspirant says he did everything that was required of him but the Commission kept on telling them the machines were down.
Moses Makmot, another presidential aspirant, says despite the fact that he didn’t have enough signatures, his troubles started from the verification room.
“Our submissions were on point but the EC told us to add 11 districts, but when we submitted the missing signatures, they told us the system is down,” Makmot said.
Elizabeth Lugudde-Katwe says her nomination was frustrated by the Commission that she says kept on playing delaying tactics.
Elton Joseph Mabirizi, who contested in the previous presidential elections said he decided to withdraw his interest in the race because the COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines wouldn’t allow him to accomplish his task.
Phiona Mirembe declined to speak about her botched presidential bid, saying it is water beneath the bridge. Paul Bukenya, the EC Spokesperson disagrees with some of the aspirants blaming their failed nomination on inefficiency on the part of the Commission.
He also denied claims that some aspirants were favoured, saying all aspirants were treated equally.
