Civil
Society Organizations have asked the government to stop using the military during
elections in order to attract women to participate in the forthcoming women's
council elections.
The call was made on Tuesday during a consultative meeting organized by the
Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy. The meeting was intended to gather
views from women leaders and civil society organizations on better practices during
the women council elections that will be held next month.
Winnie
Kiiza, the former Kasese District Woman Member of Parliament said that the
presence of military personnel scares away women candidates.
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The military has in previous elections been criticized for the heavy deployment
of personnel during the elections, leaving many voters intimidated by their presence
in some areas.
Charity Ahimbisibwe, the Executive Director of Electoral Laws Institute Uganda
Chapter says that the conduct of the military during the elections limits women
to exercise their right to participate in politics both as voters and
candidates.
She cited cases
of torture subjected to women candidates mainly from the opposition.
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Apart from
the militarization of elections, the women also identified the commercialization of
elections as another key deterrent to women's participation in elections.
Olive Namazzi, the City Executive Secretary for Education and Health blamed the
Electoral Commission for failing to mobilize women to participate in elections.
She claims that the Commission connives with some candidates especially from
the ruling National Resistance Movement party-NRM to rig the elections.
Namazzi says several of the voters in Nakawa refer to women's council elections
as NRM women council elections.
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Charles Mashate, the head of voter education and training at the Electoral
Commission says that the commission is conducting civic education but is often limited
by finances.
The current Women Councils and Committees were elected during the period June –
August 2018, and the Executive Committee of the National Women’s Council was
constituted on 23rd – 24. Their term of office according to the National
Women’s Council Act, shall elapse in August 2022.
According to the Electoral Commission elections for Women Councils and Committees shall
be conducted between 10th June and 23rd August 2022. The Process starts with
the Compilation of the Village Women’s Register from 10th to 13th June 2022.
