KAMPALA: The Electoral Commission has set July 10 and 27 as polling dates for LC1 and II elections.
In a press release, the chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama issued on Friday, the exercise will kick off with verifying the residents and updating voters’ register, as the first exercise, running from June 22 up to 25.
Byabakama said the display of village LC1 voters’ register will be done on June 26 and 27, after one week, nominating the candidates, vying for the LC 1 chairpersonship seats.
“Campaigns will be conducted for three days, running from July 6 up to 9,” Byabakama said.
According to Byabakama, Uganda has a total 60,801 villages. During the electoral exercise, the Electoral Commission also announced that over 190,000 jobs will be available.
Paul Bukenya, the deputy Electoral Commission spokesperson told PML Daily that they will hire temporary officers to help them to run the LC election programme.
Some of the electoral officers to be hired are the village officers, whose job will be to work out registration, display voters’ register and on the polling day, they will work as presiding officers at the polling stations.
“We shall also hire parish electoral officers and sub county officers but on temporary terms,” Bukenya added.
Those eligible to vote, the Electoral body said will be subject to lining up. Byabakama revealed that winning candidates will be declared on the polling day.
Disagreement over lining up system
Though, some section of the public is opposing the lining up system, Bukenya explained that the electoral body is bound to follow the law.
“Parliament endorsed the system and as managers of elections in this country, we are duty- bound to follow what Parliament passed,” Bukenya explained.
Parliament recently endorsed lining up system to elect LC leaders as opposed to secret ballot system, saying it will reduce costs.
For LCII, compilation of voters’ register will be conducted from July 11 to 12. Then after, according to the programme, the voters’ register will be displayed from July 13 to 16.
Byabakama said the candidates for LCII chairperson will be nominated on July 24 and after the campaigns will kick off on the following day. On July 27, the locals will be lining up to elect their LCII chairpersons.
Funds released
Last week Government released additional Shs 7billion needed by the electoral Commission (EC) to organise the LC elections.
The Electoral body had request for a supplementary budget last month from Government.
By the time, the EC postponed the elections, Byabakama said they had used part of shs15.7billion, Government released for elections on other activities.
Bukenya, said after receiving the funds, they are now going to adjust on their programmes.
