Uganda National Teacher’s Union chairperson James Tweheyo addresses journalists at his offices recently. Net Photo
As schools prepare to open the new term, court has given the go ahead to the electoral commission to organise LC elections. This comes after court in December last year halted the same elections citing a suit by a concerned teacher James Tweheyo.
In his suit, Mr Tweheyo challenged the manner of conducting the polls without including secondary school students, teachers and examination invigilators who were then at school writing and supervising exams.
High court Judge Stephen Musota advised Mr Tweheyo, the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General to carry out consultations that involved all stakeholders to come up with an amicable settlement aimed at seeing the said polls conducted.
It emerged today that all parties in the case reached an out of court settlement and they acknowledge that an election is a process and not an event that could be subjected to frivolous school calendars.
In his suit, Mr Tweheyo argued that the non-participation of Senior Six, Senior Five, and half a million Senior Four students in these elections was a violation of their right to vote that is enshrined within the Constitution of Uganda.
Today Tweheyo’s lawyers led by Caleb Mwesigwa and the Electoral Commission lawyer Eric Sabiiti informed Justice Musota of how they had embraced the wise counsel of court and reached a consensus on a number of issues.
The parties resolved to withdraw the case after acknowledging that elections can only be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Commission calendar or schedule, and that EC shall determine the manner of election activities to ensure that elections are held at a time fixed in accordance with the law.
They also agreed that the Electoral Commission shall put in place mechanisms to ensure the registration of eligible and willing students, invigilators, supervisors and scouts who may not have registered for purposes of participating in the local council elections.
The Judge also ordered that the Electoral Commission pay costs of the suit to Mr Tweheyo.
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