Local Council elections planned for December
Jul 04, 2012
The Government is planning to hold the long awaited LC 1 elections by December, if proposed reforms contained in the Local Governments (Amendment) Bill, 2012 are approved.
By Joyce Namutebi and John Odyek
The Government is planning to hold the long awaited LC 1 elections by December, if proposed reforms contained in the Local Governments (Amendment) Bill, 2012 are approved.
This was announced by the local government minister, Adolf Mwesige. By the same Bill tabled by Mwesige in Parliament on Tuesday, the Government seeks to abolish county councils, since district councils cover the same area as these councils.
The Bill also provides for transmission of an electronic copy of the voters’ register to registered political parties and organisations for purposes of local council elections.
It further provides for appointment of tribunals for village and parish elections and publishing polling stations in the gazette.
Mwesige explained that LC1 elections delayed due to financial constraints. He said they examined the law to find areas where money could be saved and one of them was requiring the Electoral Commission to send electronic copies to political parties rather than both electronic and hard copies.
Mwesige also noted that they would save money on tribunals.
He explained that under the old law, every member of a village is supposed to be a tribunal member and paid sh5, 000 at every sitting.
He said according to calculations made, the Bill was saving to sh75b.
“If the reforms are accepted, we shall hold the elections by December,” he added.
The commission, he said, has sh48b, which can be used. Mwesige assured that no one would be rendered jobless by the abolition of county councils. He said the assistant chief administrative Officers would be re-deployed in the districts.