Voting - Uganda Multimedia News & Information

Chaos during LC elections, 635 villages to vote today

ruth sierra — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 09:53:08 +0000

Police had to fire bullets and tear gas among the voters during LC elections yesterday in order to claim down the situation. Electoral commission released a statement postponing of elections in some villages to be carried today.

police officers were deployed to keep order during the elections

Voting in some villages was disrupted as people’s names went missing on the voters register yet they claim to have registered while some claim that other people were left to vote yet their names weren’t on the register.In areas such as Jinja, some polling stations registers were torn and stolen by the voters and there were allegations that some candidates even carried people to vote for them. This forced police to fire bullets and tear gas among the voters in order to claim the situation. This chaos has been blamed on elections being conducted by voters making a queue behind their candidates

“The Electoral Commission congratulates all those Ugandans who turned up to exercise their right to vote for their leaders and those who have been elected.” read the statement released. On the other hand, it also noted that elections had to be called off in some electoral areas mainly because unregistered residents disrupted the exercise when they were turned away and therefore it “informs residents in the affected villages that the elections will be held tomorrow Wednesday 11^th July 2018, starting at 7:00am.”

Please refer to the statement below;

EC Sets New Date for Polls in 635 Villages

The Electoral Commission appointed 10^th July 2018 as polling date for election of Village Local Councils in all the 60,800 villages in Uganda. The polling process commenced this morning and has been successfully concluded. Preliminary reports from the districts indicate that in most areas, registered residents (voters) turned out in large numbers to elect their leaders at the village level. The Electoral Commission congratulates all those Ugandans who turned up to exercise their right to vote for their leaders and those who have been elected. The Commission established a Query/Complaints Desk at the Headquarters for purposes of receiving complaints and offering guidance to our officials and members of the general public. Some of the issues raised at the Desk include persons who did not register in the Village Residents’ Register but turned up with National Identity Cards, demanding to vote in the elections. These would not be allowed to vote as per the guidelines for this election; The Electoral Commission notes that elections had to be called off in some electoral areas mainly because unregistered residents disrupted the exercise when they were turned away. Available data from the field indicates that elections were not held in about 635 electoral areas in the following electoral regions:

No.	Region	Villages where elections were not held
1.	Albertine Region	58
2.	Far Eastern Region	15
3.	Kampala Region	127
4.	Mid-west/Rwenzori	33
5.	West Nile Region	07
6.	Elgon Region	12
7.	Central North Region	42
8.	Central South Region	24
9.	Northern Region	56
10.	Kira Region	230
11.	South West Region	31
12.	Karamoja Region	0
	Total Number of Villages:	635

Arising from the above data, out of 60,799 villages, a total of 635 villages did not hold the elections, which reflects a 99% performance. The Electoral Commission informs residents in the affected villages that the elections will be held tomorrow Wednesday 11^th July 2018, starting at 7:00am. The Electoral Commission appreciates Ugandan citizens for the smooth conduct of the elections. The Commission further appreciates the field election officials, the Uganda Police Force, and all other stakeholders for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the elections across the country.

Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, Chairperson, Electoral Commission.

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Nsereko steps up campaign for Deputy Speaker

Isaac Senabulya — Tue, 03 May 2016 14:13:03 +0000

Mohammed Nsereko

Kampala central MP Mohammed Nsereko says he is ready to tussle it out with deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah following the decision by the NRM central executive committee to have him stand for deputy speaker in the 10th parliament. Nsereko says although Oulanyah has been a deputy speaker in the 9th parliament he is not afraid of him because he is a fellow MP like him. Nsereko adds that he has also stepped up his campaigns by talking with each and every voter.

The central executive committee of NRM yesterday asked other members of NRM who are aspiring for deputy speaker to step down for Oulanyah.

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Buganda MPs divided over speakership vote

Isaac Senabulya — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 15:08:33 +0000

MPs from Buganda are sharply divided on whom to back between speaker Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah for speakership. Whereas last week a group of 25 MPs nationwide led by Buganda caucus chairperson Godfrey Kiwanda came out backing Oulanyah, this morning another group specifically from Buganda led by Benny Bugembe [Mubende woman] addressed scribes backing Kadaga for speakership.

The members said that they want Kadaga back into the chair for speakership because according to them, she respects members; supports members in doing their legislative work by giving them time to speak in addition to protecting them from all kinds of teasing and intimidation.

Bugembe added that the members want a lady [Kadaga] to head the 3rd arm of government [Legislature] since the other two arms including executive are headed by a man [president Museveni] and the judiciary is headed by a man [CJ Bart Katureebe].

Last week on Wednesday, the Kiwanda team declared support for Oulanyah on grounds that he is non-sectarian, he advocates for all members regardless of their regions, knows the law and above all, he has helped government have sticky issues sail through parliament unlike Kadaga whom they accused of dodging such matters. They vowed to oust Kadaga from speakership on grounds that she is sectarian, doesn’t know the law and has not helped the ruling party on tough matters on the floor of parliament.

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Oulanyah unveils team for speakership election in 10th parliament

Isaac Senabulya — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 12:56:40 +0000

Team Leader, MP Mityana north, Godfrey Kiwanda

The deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s team seeking for his election for the 10th parliament speakership 2016-21 has been unveiled. The taskforce is headed by the chairperson Buganda parliamentary group and also the member of parliament for Mityana north Godfrey Kiwanda. A-team of 23 members of parliament was announced by its chairperson Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi at Serena hotel in Kampala drawn from only NRM party members across the country, tasked to ensure that Oulanyah wins his boss Rebecca Kadaga.
The team includes MP elect for Kaliro district Margaret Kirisa Mbeiza, Rakai woman MP elect Juliet Kinyamatama Suubi, Kalisa Kyomukan MP elect Ibanda district, Mulindwa Isaac Sozi MP elect Buikwe north, Ibrahim Abiriga MP elect Arua municipality, Micheal Tusiime MP elect Mbarara municipalty, Pian MP Achia Remegio, youth MP central region Babirye Kityo, Kefa Kiwanuka MP for Kiboga district, Doreen Ruth Amule MP elect for Amolatar district, John Bosco Lubyayi MP elect Mawokota south, Lowila Oketayot woman MP Pader district, Moreen Osuru woman MP elect Arua district, Moses Adome MP elect Jie county, Justine Ayebazibwe MP elect Isingiri district, Kafuzi Jackson MP for Kyegegwa county, Pentagon Innocent Kamusiime MP for Butembe county, Evelyn Chemutai MP for Bukwo district, Florence Nambozo woman MP elect for Sironko, Patrick Paddy Kasumba MP elect for Bujenje county and Aisha Sekindi MP elect for Kalungu district.

The chairperson of Oulanyah Taskforce Godfrey Kiwanda says that they are behind deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah to take the post of the speaker in the 10th parliament on reasons that he has the experience, well-versed with laws on the floor of parliament, speaker for all and will act as the bridge for both the old and young generation in parliament. The youth member of parliament elect for central region Sarah Babirye Kityo says that members of parliament should vote deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah as the speaker of the next parliament because he is more committed to serve the nation than others vying for the same seat.

The member of parliament elect for Rakai district Juliet Suubi Kinyamatama says that women should support Oulanyah without discrimination.

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Workers challenged to vote representatives with favourable policies

Isaac Senabulya — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 09:08:17 +0000

AP Photo/Stephen Wandera

Workers in the country have been challenged to vote workers’ representatives who will cause government to change its policies in favour of workers. The call was made by the former commissioner in charge of labour in the Ministry of Gender, labour and social Development Dr.David Ogalam while meeting a number of trade unions in Kampala over labour laws and the up coming elections of workers representative to parliament in 2016.

Dr. Ogalam said that workers must vote workers MPs for the 10th parliament who know all the labour laws and will put government on task to implement them. He said that labour laws which include Labour unions Act, Employment Act, Occupational and safety Act, Workers compensation Act, Labour dispute law and National social security Act need to be critically enforced by government on the watching of workers leaders in parliament and trade unions.

He also warned workers’ union leaders to stop fighting each other over their selfish interests and wondered how unions fight each other when they continue to sing solidarity forever .

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All registered voters will be allowed to vote

Isaac Senabulya — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 08:48:24 +0000

EC Chairman

The electoral commission has dismissed reports that Ugandans without national IDs will be denied chance to vote. This follows media reports that millions could miss voting over IDs.

Addressing journalists at the commission headquarters EC chairman Eng Badru Kiggundu said the national voters register will be the basis for participating in the 2016 general elections. He says as long as one appears on the register with or without a national ID, they will be allowed to vote.

This comes days after DP president Nobert Mao was blocked from nomination after his name was found missing in the new register. A total number of registered voters Is 15,277,196 expected to cast their votes at 28,010 polling stations across the country.

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Parliament takes stand against bill seeking for special groups to vote at special polling stations

Isaac Senabulya — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 09:32:14 +0000

The parliamentary committee on legal and parliamentary affairs has taken its stand over a controversial section in the presidential amendment bill seeking for special groups to vote at special polling stations as will be gazetted by the electoral commission while they are on duty of deployment. This was reached on as the committee chaired by Kajara county MP Stephen Tashobya was meeting the Electoral commission officials led by the commission chairperson Dr. Badru Kiggundu.

Members of Parliament said that this section 39 in the Principal Act of the Presidential election Act will be difficult for them to approve saying that the section is a cause for suspicion among many Ugandans who are crying for free and fair elections. MPs said that such a section will be considered in the next elections but not under this 9^thparliament, though the same section was advanced in 2003 but also was rejected.

The Electoral commission wanted the legal committee to adopt this section to allow groups like persons in medical institutions, election officers and those in restricted areas to vote at special polling stations since these are busy people.

MPs also rejected a proposal by the Uganda Revenue Authority, through the Electoral commission, that tax clearance certificates are a requirement for someone to contest for national election. Kabula County MP James Kakooza said that the weakness of URA to collect its tax should not be pushed on the electoral commission. The committee also reported that most political parties want the election returning officers at constituency level for quick tallying of results but the chairman electoral commission Badru Kiggundu rejected the request that this will be costly to the commission as also women MPs say that at county level they will be overburdened since they look for votes in many counties.

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Mafabi against proposed removal of finger inking for voters

Isaac Senabulya — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 10:29:24 +0000

Nandala Mafabi

The Member of Parliament for Budadiri west in Sironko district Nathan Nandala Mafabi is opposed to the government proposal to remove the finger inking for a voter after voting. Appearing before the legal committee Mafabi said that the issue of inking should be maintained as it is in the old electoral laws, to eliminate multiple voting.

Mafabi said that removing inking for a voter will cause multiple voting hence creating possibilities for vote rigging. Nandala also said that if the incumbent is going to use a state helicopter even other candidates should be allowed to use it or have joint campaigns with the president to be at the same level while campaigning so as others are not disadvantaged in terms of transport at the expense of state resources.

He said that it would not be possible to have a candidate campaign in more than one district in a day, unless he uses a helicopter.

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