Here are tips for you, Mr Kasujja!

Feb 24, 2002

SIR— The Monitor of February 18 reported that Winnie Byanyima claimed massive rigging at Mbuya Barracks on February 14.

SIR— The Monitor of February 18 reported that Winnie Byanyima claimed massive rigging at Mbuya Barracks on February 14. It was also reported that elections in four districts including Sironko had been postponed. In order to remove malpractices in future elections in the four districts, the EC should adopt the following procedure:- Ballot boxes should be numbered serially for every polling station.- Ballot paper books with serial numbers must be displayed in the presence of the managerial agent of each candidate at the returning officer’s office before they are put in a ballot box to be sealed. The list of voters must also be displayed to each candidate’s agent and put in the ballot box. The extras must be carefully monitored by candidates’ agents to make sure that the spoilt ones are properly documented in exchange for fresh ones.- The ballot papers and the list of voters should then be put in a ballot box and sealed in the presence of each candidate’s agent.- The boxes for each electoral area route should be accompanied by each candidate’s route supervisor with a letter from the candidate.- The sealed ballot boxes shall then be handed to a presiding officer of each polling station while showing an appointment letter from the returning officer. The presiding officer shall sign receipt of the delivery of the ballot box and each candidate’s agent must also append his or her signature to the document.- The ballot box should, after delivery, be opened at the polling station in the presence of each candidate’s polling station agent, who is physically at the place of the area where the ballot box was received.- Polling shall then start if ballot papers tally properly.- If, for any reason, someone visits the polling station with soldiers, or any armed person with sticks, polling must stop and the matter must be reported to police immediately. The polling station must not be opened until police has given its go-ahead.- Counting votes shall not commence until all polling station candidates agree with the presiding officer.- The EC election return form must be signed by all candidates’ polling station agents.- If any election return form is not signed by a candidate’s polling station agent, the matter must be reported to police and to the returning officer.- Each candidate’s returning supervisor must accompany results sealed in boxes from the presiding officer of each polling station electoral area to the district counting centre. Seals should be broken in the presence of each candidate’s election manager and the results be announced publically there and then. The EC has to watch carefully the illegal ballot papers allegedly sold by some of the bosses. W. G. GanendeyaKampala

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