Presidential candidates nominations begin today

THE nomination of candidates for this year's presidential race starts today at Kololo Airstrip, write Vision Reporters. The Electoral Commission yesterday released the final rules on how the nomination of candidates will be conducted today and tomorrow. Campaigns officially begin on January 10. There are over 10 presidential aspirants. Those to be nominated today are Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja (1:00pm), the head of the Planning Unit at Makerere, Col. (rtd) Kiiza Besigye (2.00pm), a former National Political Commissar and minister for internal affairs, and Karuhanga Chapaa of the National Democratic Party (3.00pm). Those to be nominated Tuesday are DP breakaway faction leader Francis Bwengye (12:00pm), MP Aggrey Awori (3:00pm) President Yoweri Museveni (3.30pm). Nomination of Nasser Sebaggala, whose qualifications are still being vetted by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), has been fixed for 2:00pm. Other aspirants have not fixed their time yet. A statement by the MPs' National Task Force signed by John Nasasira said there would be transport for all MPs who wish to accompany Museveni to Kololo at 1:00pm. Kibirige's task force chairman, Siragi Balinda yesterday said Mayanja will walk with supporters from Kawempe at 8:00a.m. They will move through Bwaise and Wandegeya to the Constitutional Square, through Wampewo Avenue to Kololo airstrip. Besigye's campaign office coordinator, Louis Otika, said Besigye will launch his manifesto at the Uganda International Conference Centre after the nomination. "We are going to have a procession from the Constitution Square to Kololo Airstrip. We expect our supporters to begin assembling at the Square from 10:00am so that by 11:00a.m we begin marching to Kololo," Otika said. A statement from Karuhanga's office called upon all the multipartysts to back him in order to defeat the Movement. They opposed any alliance with Movement candidates. Nominations will take place from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Each aspirant will be allowed a procession of 50 vehicles, but exceptions will be made for President Museveni. All people and vehicles will have to exhibit tags and stickers. The Electoral Commission has also directed the aspirants to present their campaign programmes at 10.00am on January 10 for "synchronisation to avoid clashes in time and venues." Addressing a consultative meeting with the candidates and their agents at the electoral body's headquarters yesterday, Aziz Kasujja said, "Entrance to the nomination venue shall be via Wampewo Avenue and exit shall be via Upper Kololo Terrace or Lugogo By-pass." "No mobile phones and firearms shall be allowed at the venue. There shall be strict security checks. Supporters of aspiring candidates are requested to observe strict directions," Kasujja said. "An aspiring candidate shall present his or her papers to the returning officer accompanied only by the proposer and seconder," he stressed. He also emphasised, "No procession or celebrations shall take place at the nomination venue." The electoral body has also ruled that before aspirants are nominated, they must have "duly filled and signed nomination papers in duplicate which include names of proposers and seconders to the nomination, consent to nomination and a declaration made before the commissioner of oaths, by the person seeking to be nominated as a candidate." Ends.