The Member of Parliament for Kampala Central Elias Lukwago has opened a case against the Electoral Commission accusing it of maintaining polling stations in places that in military centers yet parliament had recommended that the places should not have polling stations as they are highly restricted from the civilians.
MP ZErias Lukwago
The MP who is also the Shadow Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs has told journalists at Parliament that in the amendments that the Parliament made to the electoral laws earlier this year in June, Parliament clearly outlawed the idea of having polling stations in military centers.
Lukwago says since the EC has refused to follow the law as amended by Parliament, then he had no option but to turn to court from which he has sought prerogative orders that court should make the against the EC.
He wants the court to order the EC to comply with the electoral laws by omitting military centers from having polling stations.
Lukwago has sighted some of the examples of Military Centers in Kampala that have polling stations to include 2 at the headquarters of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and 3 polling stations in Summit barracks in Kololo, Kampala.
Lukwago says he will also ask court to cancel the display of voters registers until the EC complies with what the law says that before displaying these voters registers. He says the EC should first have to publish the display centers in the public gazette and national newspapers which it has not done.
Meanwhile the EC has officially launched the display of on- line voters registers at African Hotel and its officials are displaying the voter’s register in different parts of Uganda.
The display of registers that has been ongoing since 11th August 2010 is set to end next week on 31 August 2010.
By Zakaria Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media