FDC also proposes that the procurement of electoral materials including printing and distribution at all levels and stages should involve security and all key stakeholders particularly political parties, civil society, electoral observers and the media.
The opposition Forum
for Democratic Change-FDC party has listed a number of electoral forms.
They include among
others the restoration of presidential term limits two five year terms, open
recruitment of electoral commission officials and delineation of the military
from the electoral process.
The
FDC Deputy Spokesperson, John Kikonyogo
presented the party proposals during the weekly FDC media briefing at
Najjanankumbi.
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Currently,
Electoral Commission staff is recruited under
the Public Service Commission while the chairperson is appointed by the
president. FDC also wants the military eliminated from the electoral process
and be left to conduct its constitutional duty of protecting Uganda’s boarders.
As for police, FDC says they should provide security during
the electoral process under the supervision of the Electoral Commission as opposed
to the Inspector General of Police. FDC also wants presiding
officers to be recruited in a transparent manner based on merit.
FDC also proposes that the procurement of
electoral materials including printing and distribution at all levels and
stages should involve security and all key stakeholders particularly political
parties, civil society, electoral observers and the media.
Asked whether the involvement of political parties wouldn’t compromise
the independence of the process, Kikonyogo said there is need for political
parties to be involved in the process.
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Other reforms include devising a mechanism to monitor and
prevent raids of funds from the central bank, Ministries and International
assistance accounts in the period and during campaigns in order to protect the
integrity of the campaign process.
FDC also wants the Public Order Management Act (POMA)
repealed so as to ensure that the freedoms to organize and assemblies are
respected and that an Independent and credible judiciary be promoted to
adjudicate electoral disputes.
Last week, government presented several proposed electoral
reforms. These included the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the
Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Electoral Commission
(Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Political Parties and Organization (Amendment),
2019 and the Local Governments (Amendment) Bill No.21, 2019.
The Attorney General William Byaruhanga told
parliament that one must have left their political party for a year before
nomination to run as an independent candidate.
According to reports attributed to Muwanga Kivumbi, the
Butambala MP, government also proposes that only five people should be at the
tally center contrary to the current practice where tallying is done in the
presence of all interested members at the voting venue.
It is alleged that government seeks to stop political
parties from working with pressure groups and that security people should vote
before polling day. However, FDC describes the proposals as bastardized,
unconstitutional and not reflective of a civilized society.
