The electoral commission is finalizing guidelines for conducting village council and parish executive elections this year.

The electoral commission secretary Sam Rwakojo says the commission is in final stages of drafting guidelines for the elections to be issued to the different political parties.

Rwakojo said the electoral had budgeted 98 billion shillings for the election exercise adding that they have already received 19 billion shillings for the exercise.

In 2006 the opposition Forum for Democratic change party dragged and challenged the election of village and parish executive committees and the movement system when the country had already gone multi-party
system.

FDC electoral commission chief Dan Mugarura says they are still suspicious of the council elections and accuse the commission of failing to involve political parties in drafting guidelines for the elections.

However Deputy Democratic Party secretary general Vincent Mayanja says after spending ten years without village council elections the electoral commission should invest heavily in civic education because it is the first time the pools will be held under the multi-party policy dispensation.

The vice president UPC Joseph Bbosa says his party has been busy with other programs and not with village council elections.

Unlike the opposition parties, Many Karooro Okurut who doubles as the minister for information and national guidance and NRM spokesperson says her party is ready for the pools without disclosing details.
By Mugisa Isaac Mathias