Parties to hold polls every five years
Oct 21, 2005
PARLIAMENT has approved a provision in the Political Parties and Organisations Bill 2005, providing for party executive elections after every five years.
By Cyprian Musoke and Milton Olupot
PARLIAMENT has approved a provision in the Political Parties and Organisations Bill 2005, providing for party executive elections after every five years.
MPs objected to the initial phrasing of the clause that had left the matter of periodic elections to the parties’ discretion.
The original clause had stated that the election of the executive committee members of political parties or organisations should be conducted at “regular intervals.â€
Mutebi Kityo (Mawokota North), who raised the objection, said the regular intervals were not properly demarcated.
“It is important for the Bill to be specific because we might have some parties not changing leaders for 20 years,†he said.
Kityo said at the time of registration, every party should show how regularly they intended to hold their elections.
He said the elections after every five years should be by secret ballot to ensure that every member gets a stake in party internal democracy.
Omara Atubo (Otuke) suggested a sanction or punishment for parties that skipped regular elections.
But the legal and parliamentary affairs committee chairman, Jacob Oulanyah, said the committee had left it open, in order not to attempt to regulate the internal affairs of parties.
PARLIAMENT has approved a provision in the Political Parties and Organisations Bill 2005, providing for party executive elections after every five years.
MPs objected to the initial phrasing of the clause that had left the matter of periodic elections to the parties’ discretion.
The original clause had stated that the election of the executive committee members of political parties or organisations should be conducted at “regular intervals.â€
Mutebi Kityo (Mawokota North), who raised the objection, said the regular intervals were not properly demarcated.
“It is important for the Bill to be specific because we might have some parties not changing leaders for 20 years,†he said.
Kityo said at the time of registration, every party should show how regularly they intended to hold their elections.
He said the elections after every five years should be by secret ballot to ensure that every member gets a stake in party internal democracy.
Omara Atubo (Otuke) suggested a sanction or punishment for parties that skipped regular elections.
But the legal and parliamentary affairs committee chairman, Jacob Oulanyah, said the committee had left it open, in order not to attempt to regulate the internal affairs of parties.