LC3 Polls Open Today

By John KakandeUGANDANS go to the polls today to elect the chairpersons and councillors for the sub-counties, town councils and municipal divisions.Although the day has not been declared a public holiday, the Electoral Commission chairperson, Hajji Aziz Kasujja, yesterday appealed to voters countrywide to turn up in big numbers for the LC3 polls.The commission has also reactivated the MTN toll free line No. 188 for the public who wish to contact it and raise issues relating to the elections. The hotline will remain operational throughout the day and during declaration of results, the commission said in a statement.In the statement, Kasujja warned that action would be taken against perpetrators of electoral malpractice and violence. He castigated some security operatives and political groups abusing electoral laws. He cited Sembabule as one of the trouble spots where voters were being subjected to intimidation by certain elements.Kasujja earlier said the Government had declined to declare today a public holiday, adding that employers were opposed to the idea.He said workers should vote very early in the morning before going to work, at lunch time or after work. Voting starts at 7:00am and ends at 5:00p.m.Kasujja said the commission set January 4 as the polling day because the constitutional deadline for holding the LC3 elections is January 5, tomorrow.The Constitution requires elections for local government councils to be held least 60 days before the expiry of the term of the existing councils. Kasujja said they anticipated some problem in Sembabule but had taken precautionary measures. He said he had directed that the ballot boxes containing the ballot papers for Sembabule be in Police custody.He said the ballot boxes and papers for Sembabule town were to be kept in the commission’s premises.Kasujja did not anticipate problems in Rukungiri, a hot-spot during the presidential and parliamentary polls.There are two categories of ballot boxes that will be used today at the polling stations. One category is of big metallic ballot boxes to be used for the election of chairpersons of the sub-counties, town councils and municipal divisions.The second category is of small paper boxes to be used for election of the direct councillors and women councillors. All the polling materials will be packed in the metallic boxes after the voting and declaration of results.Kasujja said there are over 940 sub-counties with over 5,000 parishes throughout the country. There will be no elections in Kumi district. Only voters who registered during the photographic registration exercise will vote using the certificates which were issued to them.Each polling station will comprise of three sections, with a total of nine tables. There will be a separate section for the chairperson, direct councillors and women councillors.Elections for chairpersons and councillors for the municipalities as well as city divisions are scheduled to take place on January 10, 2002. The date for the election of chairpersons and councillors of district councils has not yet been announced by the commission.Ends