EC ready for LC, women council elections

EC chairperson Simon Mugenyi Byabakama

The Electoral Commission (EC) is in the final stages of preparations for LC1, LC2 and women council elections. There are almost two weeks remaining to the long awaited poll.

According to Paul Bukenya, the deputy EC spokesperson, the village residence register was opened on October 26 and was displayed up to November 1.

"We have our preparations done for the nomination of LC candidates. Only the registered voters will be nominated and this will be done using our voters' register.

"We issued nomination forms and up to now our offices are able to handle the candidates," he told New Vision in an interview at EC head offices in Kampala on Monday.

Bukenya added that nominations for LC candidates will take place on November 15 and 16.

He said campaigns will take place from November 17 up to 20 and elections will take place on 21.

Although the residence register was opened and displayed, several people missed out on the registration and this has prompted various leaders including the Vice-President Edward Sekandi to ask EC to avail more time for registration of the people who missed.

Sekandi said the LC election is crucial for both the Government and the citizens. However, responding to Sekandi's concerns, Bukenya said enough time was allocated to the exercise and there's no need for extra time.

"I do not think that we gave it little time because we mobilised as early as the beginning of the year, those who had time were able to come and register," he noted.

He added: "I do not think that people failied to participate in residence registration because of time."

 Uganda has not conducted elections for LCI and LCII for the last 15 years, the last one having been held in 2001.