Opposition wants more time to register voters
May 05, 2010
THE opposition, under the Inter-Party Co-operation (IPC), wants the Electoral Commission (EC) to extend the registration of voters after the exercise failed to kick-off in some areas.
By Jude Kafuuma
THE opposition, under the Inter-Party Co-operation (IPC), wants the Electoral Commission (EC) to extend the registration of voters after the exercise failed to kick-off in some areas.
The IPC steering committee yesterday held a demonstration from their offices in Nakasero to the EC on Jinja road where they had a two-hour meeting with EC chairman Badru Kiggundu.
A group of 13 IPC committee members, led by Patrick Mwondha, and FDC vice-president for the east, Proscovia Salaamu Musumba, met the EC boss.
The opposition said the registration exercise had failed to kick off in many parts of the country, adding that where it had started, the returning officers lacked equipment and others had failed to operate the cameras and computers recently imported by the commission.
“Some centres have been shifted from place to place, while in some areas, they can’t be located. They have become mobile centres, which is confusing the voters,†Mwondha said.
According to the EC, the registration exercise started on Monday and will end on June 4, 2010.
However, the opposition is concerned that 21 days are not enough, especially in upcountry areas where information about the exercise has not yet reached.
“The EC should explain to us if there are problems so that we work together,†Mwondha said.
Musumba said returning officers had not reached Busoga, Kasese and Bundibugyo by Tuesday evening.
At Kitayumbwa centre in Bugabula county, materials arrived on the second day of the registration, while in areas like Wakiso, returning officers had no desks and shelter to work.
The opposition asked Kigunddu to explain why some voters’ names were missing on the register, yet they had used the same lists in the previous elections.
In response, Kiggundu said: “There are no games whatsoever in the exercise.â€
He, however, agreed that the exercise was facing problems, saying out of the 4,000 units of equipment ordered to implement the exercise, only 2,000 were dispatched to centres.
“We admit the exercise has not started well, but the EC is working hard to correct the irregularities,†Kiggundu said.
He said the commission has distributed 1,000 generators to all parishes to help re-charge the cameras and computers being used. Sh1m has also been given to each district for publicity of the exercise.
On Friday, the EC will conduct meetings with stakeholders to iron out discrepancies in the exercise.
Kiggundu called upon the opposition to be mindful of electoral laws before they confront the commission.
THE opposition, under the Inter-Party Co-operation (IPC), wants the Electoral Commission (EC) to extend the registration of voters after the exercise failed to kick-off in some areas.
The IPC steering committee yesterday held a demonstration from their offices in Nakasero to the EC on Jinja road where they had a two-hour meeting with EC chairman Badru Kiggundu.
A group of 13 IPC committee members, led by Patrick Mwondha, and FDC vice-president for the east, Proscovia Salaamu Musumba, met the EC boss.
The opposition said the registration exercise had failed to kick off in many parts of the country, adding that where it had started, the returning officers lacked equipment and others had failed to operate the cameras and computers recently imported by the commission.
“Some centres have been shifted from place to place, while in some areas, they can’t be located. They have become mobile centres, which is confusing the voters,†Mwondha said.
According to the EC, the registration exercise started on Monday and will end on June 4, 2010.
However, the opposition is concerned that 21 days are not enough, especially in upcountry areas where information about the exercise has not yet reached.
“The EC should explain to us if there are problems so that we work together,†Mwondha said.
Musumba said returning officers had not reached Busoga, Kasese and Bundibugyo by Tuesday evening.
At Kitayumbwa centre in Bugabula county, materials arrived on the second day of the registration, while in areas like Wakiso, returning officers had no desks and shelter to work.
The opposition asked Kigunddu to explain why some voters’ names were missing on the register, yet they had used the same lists in the previous elections.
In response, Kiggundu said: “There are no games whatsoever in the exercise.â€
He, however, agreed that the exercise was facing problems, saying out of the 4,000 units of equipment ordered to implement the exercise, only 2,000 were dispatched to centres.
“We admit the exercise has not started well, but the EC is working hard to correct the irregularities,†Kiggundu said.
He said the commission has distributed 1,000 generators to all parishes to help re-charge the cameras and computers being used. Sh1m has also been given to each district for publicity of the exercise.
On Friday, the EC will conduct meetings with stakeholders to iron out discrepancies in the exercise.
Kiggundu called upon the opposition to be mindful of electoral laws before they confront the commission.