Parliament passes Presidential election amendment bill 2015

Parliament

Parliament has passed the presidential election amendment bill 2015 barring presidential candidates from accessing any financial contribution from government. Parliament has approved a fee of 20 million shillings for nomination of a presidential candidate to the electoral commission but there is nothing the electoral commission will contribute to the candidate.

This proposal was approved by parliament after the Aruu county Member of Parliament Samuel Odonga moved that anyone who is aspiring to be a president should not get a single shilling from government to stop them from profiteering in the election. The opposition MPs had objected to this fee, noting that this amount would stop some people to aspire for presidency. Opposition MPs had also wanted the presidential candidates to be given 50 million shillings as contribution from government to facilitate their campaigns in the country but parliament threw out such a proposal and gave nothing to candidates.

The passing of the bill is locking out aspiring candidates with little money  to vie for parliamentary seat. Parliament has approved 3 million shillings for a member of parliament to pay to the electoral commission as nomination fee moving from the old fee of 200, 000 million shillings. Mps moved from the government and the committee proposal of 1 million shillings for 3 million to lock out jokers .
MP Odonga Otto had wanted 10 million shillings which attracted him attacks  from some MPs calling him one of the selfish MPs yet some came in parliament before earning such amounts. MPs also rejected the leader of opposition Wafula Oguttu’s proposal that a presidential aspirant’s money be refunded if they get 5% of the votes. Parliament approved  4pm as the time for closing voting .

MPs further maintained the method of dipping the thumb into the ink after one finishes casting a vote instead of the government proposal of marking a finger nail which many MPs see as more time consuming.

Parliament passed Clause 2 of the presidential election bill that seeks to remove requirement for a candidate to campaign in every district of Uganda.

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