By Charles Kakamwa

THE 2011 general elections will be transparent and successful, the chairman of the Electoral Commission, Badru Kiggundu, has said.

He said the electoral process in Uganda is among the most transparent in the world.

Kiggundu explained that voters cast their votes in full view of election officials and fellow voters, and results are declared in the open.

“I am proud of what we have in this country. I am confident we shall have a peaceful and transparent election in 2011. However, it is a task that all stakeholders should work to achieve,” he said.

Kiggundu made the remarks on Friday while officiating at the launch of the voter education campaign at Kakindu stadium in Jinja.

He was accompanied by Tom Buruku, an electoral commissioner, and Molly Nawe Kamukama, the head of voter education and training department.

He said elections are never 100% perfect worldwide, noting that the 2006 elections were the most secure and transparent.

“I have got testimonies from different places in the world. The legal environment as far as elections are concerned in Uganda is the best,” he said.

Kiggundu said despite financial constraints, nothing would stop the elections.

“Holding elections every after five years is a constitutional obligation,” he stressed.

Kiggundu, however, expressed concern that some people do not value voters cards and keep them poorly yet they are costly to replace.

Kamukama said they chose to begin with eastern region because it has many peculiar issues such as a high population and many by-elections.

Kamukama explained that the programme is aimed at sensitising citizens on their rights, reminding those who have attained voting age to register and the registered ones to confirm with their polling stations.

The project, which kicked off on January 29 in Jinja, will end with Butaleja district on February 17.