Election of 30 new LC3s commences

By Innocent Anguyo and Vivian Agaba

ELECTION of chairpersons in 30 newly created sub-counties and town councils has kicked-off according to the Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson, Eng. Badru Kiggundu. The elections will end on Friday, August 15.

According to the Local Governments’ Act, a chairperson of a lower government council is the political head at that level; presides over the council and executive committee meetings; and monitors administration and delivery of services in area under his or her jurisdiction.

Addressing the press at EC headquarters in Kampala on Monday, Kiggundu said the 30 local government administrative units are those that were created between July 1 2011 and July 1 2014. The elections will cost sh87m.

However, some other 22 newly created lower local government administrative units will not hold elections for chairpersons, because they do not meet the minimum requirements.

For a lower local government administrative unit to hold elections, Kiggundu said it must have at least three councilors and be created from an original local government.

Some lower local government administrative units have not qualified to hold elections for interim chairperson because they have lost sovereignty after being annexed by bigger administrative units like municipalities.

Kiggundu said all the 22 lower local administrative units will eventually go to the polls during the 2016 general elections.

Polls

The EC boss said they have completed compilation of voters’ register for the town councils and sub counties, a procedure that was conducted between July 29 and August 05.

Kiggundu warned that only councilors representing one of the electoral areas in the new sub county or town council are eligible to contest for election as interim chairperson.

“The nomination process for interim sub county and town council chairpersons is verbal, by the proposer and seconder in the presence of the aspiring candidate,” explained Kiggundu.

“No minimum academic qualifications are required for this elective position.”

The election of the interim chairpersons shall be by Electoral College, and by secret ballot. No person shall be allowed to vote if she or he is not a member of the Electoral College.

The polling centres will be the headquarters of the newly created sub counties or town councils. There are about 2,728 polling stations for the election of chairpersons.

The votes cast for each candidate shall be counted immediately after the presiding officer has declared polling closed.