PARLIAMENT is to fast-track the four electoral bills tabled by the Government in December 2009 ahead of the 2011 general elections.
The chairperson of the legal and parliamentary affairs committee, Stephen Tashobya, announced yesterday that public hearings on the bills will start on Tuesday.
The are the Presidential Elections Bill, Parliamentary Elections Bill, Electoral Commission Bill and Political Parties and Organisations Bill.
Tashobya, whose committee is responsible for producing a report to Parliament on the Bills, said he had met the Speaker over the matter.
“Because of public interest and the roadmap of the Electoral Commission (EC), we should fast-track the Bills,” Tashobya said.
“We hope that in two weeks, we will be done with the public hearings.”
The EC roadmap requires the Bills to be passed by the end of this month.
The Presidential Elections Bill seeks to prohibit candidates and their agents from contributing to fundraising and giving out donations during campaigns.
Tabling the Bills in December last year, justice and constitutional affairs minister Khiddu Makubuya said this was to ensure clean elections.
Those in breach of the law will be fined sh960,000 or two years imprisonment or both, the Bill states.
The Bill further compels the returning officer to compile and submit a detailed report of the election to the EC within seven days.
The commission will be required to declare a candidate elected unopposed if his rival withdraws or is disqualified.
The Electoral Commission Bill proposes that the commission secretary serves one five-year term.
Makubuya said this would promote the accountability and independence of the commission.
The Bill also reduces the time for the public display of voters’ registers before a general election from 21 days to 15.
The Parliamentary Elections Bill has similar provisions on the declaration of results and fundraising.
The Political Parties and Organisations Bill provides that political parties and organisations be required to notify the EC on any change of physical location of their offices.
The bill also suggests that the chairperson of the National Consultative Forum comes from a party with most members in Parliament. The forum must include representatives of all parties in Parliament.
