Movement issues new election rules
Nov 10, 2010
THE NRM electoral commission has set up stringent rules to guide the party primaries that will be held on November 18 in various areas.
By Anne Mugisa
and Mary Karugaba
THE NRM electoral commission has set up stringent rules to guide the party primaries that will be held on November 18 in various areas.
The move follows complaints of election malpractices in the party’s August primaries.
Under the new rules, presiding officers will come from different districts and only NRM vehicles will transport voting materials. Any unauthorised person, including candidates, who tampers with the election materials is to be arrested.
Public servants are not allowed to involve themselves in the election, including voting.
The rules were issued yesterday by the deputy NRM electoral commission chairperson, Prof. Elijah Mushemeza, during a meeting with aspirants, whose elections were still pending or were cancelled.
The meeting took place at the NRM Secretariat at Kyadondo Road in Nakasero.
A number of constituencies in different districts are set to vote again. In some of the constituencies, only villages whose votes were nullified or did not take place, will vote.
Districts which will hold fresh elections are Lamwo, Kiboga, Mukono, Nakifuma, Kyenjojo and Kayunga.
Others are Bundibugyo, Kibaale, Tororo, Busia, Kapchorwa, Mbale, Mityana, Pallisa and Namayingo, among others.
Mushemeza said some people at the district level interfered with the polling process.
“Those who cause chaos will be arrested,†Mushemeza said.
According to the guidelines, candidates’ agents must sit with the presiding officers to ensure that they witness everything that is happening and also sign the declaration forms.
Agents who disappear after realising that their candidates are losing, hoping to use their absence as grounds for petition, will not be entertained.
The NRM electoral commission received over 600 petitions from all over the country after the party primaries. Last week, 100 of these were cleared and declared party flag-bearers for the 2011 general elections.
During the meeting, some of the candidates accused Mushemeza of declaring winners without hearing from them. Others accused him of ordering for re-runs without informing them of the problems.
However, some said they were happy with the meeting because some of the disgruntled candidates were given a chance to discuss their issues.
Commenting on the Kampala mayoral race, Mushemeza said Capt. Francis Babu cannot run as independent for any post because he is a custodian of the party (Babu is the party vice-chairman for Kampala).
The party leadership, Mushemeza said, will sit with Babu and dissuade him from his decision. “The path he is taking is not correct. I think we shall persuade him not to,†he said.
and Mary Karugaba
THE NRM electoral commission has set up stringent rules to guide the party primaries that will be held on November 18 in various areas.
The move follows complaints of election malpractices in the party’s August primaries.
Under the new rules, presiding officers will come from different districts and only NRM vehicles will transport voting materials. Any unauthorised person, including candidates, who tampers with the election materials is to be arrested.
Public servants are not allowed to involve themselves in the election, including voting.
The rules were issued yesterday by the deputy NRM electoral commission chairperson, Prof. Elijah Mushemeza, during a meeting with aspirants, whose elections were still pending or were cancelled.
The meeting took place at the NRM Secretariat at Kyadondo Road in Nakasero.
A number of constituencies in different districts are set to vote again. In some of the constituencies, only villages whose votes were nullified or did not take place, will vote.
Districts which will hold fresh elections are Lamwo, Kiboga, Mukono, Nakifuma, Kyenjojo and Kayunga.
Others are Bundibugyo, Kibaale, Tororo, Busia, Kapchorwa, Mbale, Mityana, Pallisa and Namayingo, among others.
Mushemeza said some people at the district level interfered with the polling process.
“Those who cause chaos will be arrested,†Mushemeza said.
According to the guidelines, candidates’ agents must sit with the presiding officers to ensure that they witness everything that is happening and also sign the declaration forms.
Agents who disappear after realising that their candidates are losing, hoping to use their absence as grounds for petition, will not be entertained.
The NRM electoral commission received over 600 petitions from all over the country after the party primaries. Last week, 100 of these were cleared and declared party flag-bearers for the 2011 general elections.
During the meeting, some of the candidates accused Mushemeza of declaring winners without hearing from them. Others accused him of ordering for re-runs without informing them of the problems.
However, some said they were happy with the meeting because some of the disgruntled candidates were given a chance to discuss their issues.
Commenting on the Kampala mayoral race, Mushemeza said Capt. Francis Babu cannot run as independent for any post because he is a custodian of the party (Babu is the party vice-chairman for Kampala).
The party leadership, Mushemeza said, will sit with Babu and dissuade him from his decision. “The path he is taking is not correct. I think we shall persuade him not to,†he said.