According to the Electoral Commission Schedule, aspirants from Kyebando Central were due for nomination today, Wednesday. However, the commission had a backlog from Tuesday, which had to be cleared, before starting on a new group.
Voter education usually takes place before the start of the election cycle, to purposely assist the election administration in its task of delivering a free, fair, efficient and cost-effective election. It encompasses the basic voter information that every voter must have in order to arrive prepared at the voting station and vote on the dedicated polling days.
Mayanja’s request comes a day after NUP’s preferred candidate, Latif Ssebagala Ssengendo declared his decision to step down from the lord mayor’s race citing conflicting interests in the party and for the good of the wider opposition forces.
On Tuesday, 20 aspirants who were undergoing a verification were stopped when it clocked 5:30 pm. Electoral Commission officials said that other candidates could challenge the process of nominations on condition that it was conducted beyond the required time.
Kampala Central Division Mayor Charles Sserunjoji Musoke told URN that besides the absence of temperature guns, the space inside the EC premises in Kampala is too small to accommodate the huge numbers of aspirants seeking nominations.
Justice Musa Ssekaana delivered the verdict on an application filed by 32 DP challenging the decision by the NEC cancelling the election of executive committees in the area. The petitioners had completed grassroots elections up to the Municipal level.
Najib Magala, one of those who were turned away accused Electoral Commission of attempting to force them back into NRM yet it is their right to quit the party and run as independents.
Fauzia Kamaria, an aspiring LC 3 woman councillor for Namere parish has also petitioned the party electoral commission. Kamaria couldn’t speak to the media by press time yet but her supporter, Arizik Nakiwala says she is more grounded in the area compared to her opponent.
Sebaggala says that it is for this reason that he saw a need to decongest the list of opposition candidates on that crucial post so that the NRM does not take advantage and reclaim full control of the country’s capital city.
Several aspirants who turned up for nominations for local council at the electoral commission offices in Ntinda left frustrated after they failed to get nominated.
Dr. Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, says the residual primary elections will cover eight categories including special interest groups (SIG and National Youth Committee representatives and parliamentary candidates.
Mercy Walukamba, the Chairperson of the Party Election Management Committee, admitted that there are hundreds of complaints received from Kampala and Metropolitan areas alone. She however adds that the redress process has started and they are set to hold a meeting tomorrow -Tuesday- with some of the petitioners.
The officers from the districts of Ibanda, Isingiro, Tororo, Tororo county, Mbale, Jinja, Gulu, Kanungu, Lira, Kyankwanzi, Namutumba, Kaliro, Buyende, Mayuge, Kakumiro, Kyenjojo and Ssembabule, are accused of altering election results, forging declaration forms, declaring the wrong candidates, accepting bribes, intimidating candidates and non-financial accountability.
The security personnel who are meant to ensure there is strict adherence to hand washing and standard operating procedures at Rubaga are camped outside the gate and interacting with some of the candidates. No temperature is being checked for anybody, and almost everyone is wearing their facemask like a necklace.
Many aspirants who came in late were handpicked by some Electoral official's bypassing those that showed up as early as 5:30 a.m to participate in the exercise which started today.
Some of the key positions include Latif Ssebaggala Ssengendo for Lord Mayor, Hamdan Ssemugooma for Kampala central mayor, Paul Mugambe for Nakawa division mayor, Kasirye Nganda Ali Mulyanyama for Makindye Division mayor, Zackhy Mberaaze Mawula for Lubaga division mayor and Emmanuel Sserunjoji for Kawempe division Mayor.
Besigye today addressed the country in his capacity as president of the people’s government pressure group based at his Katonga road office, ahead of tomorrow's scheduled address of President Museveni to the country on the situation of covid-19
Two days ago information emerged that soldiers had surrounded the home of Kibalama found in Nansana municipality in Wakiso district and had taken him to unknown location with his known cell phone switched off.
The KCCA Speaker, Abubaker Kawalya expressed dismay on the behaviour of members absconding from duty and wondered how people's grievances shall be attended to without council sittings. Kawalya observed that the market dispute had come up for the third time, saying several vendors had turned up seeking answers to their grievances.
