Strict rules for NRM polls
THE NRM will today hold elections for parliamentary and local government flag-bearers in the districts where the polls did not take place or were cancelled.
By Henry Mukasa
THE NRM will today hold elections for parliamentary and local government flag-bearers in the districts where the polls did not take place or were cancelled.
The party’s electoral commission has issued strict guidelines to be followed in the 40 districts where the elections will be held.
Under the new guidelines, the primary elections will be conducted at village level, with each candidate represented by an agent who shall sign declaration forms after tallying the results.
“Counting of votes should be done before it is dark,†said Felicitus Magomu, the party’s electoral commission boss.
Magomu said polling officials shall not open envelopes containing ballot papers and declaration forms before 8:00am. “Even after 8:00am officials shall not set up the ballot boxes or open envelopes unless there are at least 10 members of the electorate present.â€
An exhibition to confirm that the ballot box is empty before voting shall be conducted by the polling officials.
The officials will also have to display the envelopes with ballot papers to candidates and their agents to ensure that they have not been tampered with.
Magomu said unlike in the Monday election where paper envelopes were used, in today’s elections, ballot papers have been sealed in polythene envelopes. “After opening the envelopes, the polling officials shall check on the number of ballot papers in full view of campaign agents and voters,†she stressed.
The electoral commission condemned the violence, rigging and malpractices that occurred in the primaries on Monday. “This is indiscipline that should not continue in NRM. What has come out clearly is that people are so desperate,†Magomu remarked.
In one bizarre incident, Magomu disclosed, an NRM administrative officer in Kabonero sub-county in Kabarole district presented himself as a candidate for the LC III seat, conducted his own election and won. “That is top most rigging. He will lose his job and we have cancelled the results,†she said.
She observed that from 50% of places where elections were conducted on Monday, the EC had received petitions over the results. She further explained that in some cases, some people cried foul yet the voters genuinely voted for their opponents.
To avoid cases of electoral materials dissappearing, like it happened in Sembabule, Magomu disclosed that security had been beefed up. The NRM electoral commision has also abandoned the biometric register for Kampala and opted for the photographic register.
THE NRM will today hold elections for parliamentary and local government flag-bearers in the districts where the polls did not take place or were cancelled.
The party’s electoral commission has issued strict guidelines to be followed in the 40 districts where the elections will be held.
Under the new guidelines, the primary elections will be conducted at village level, with each candidate represented by an agent who shall sign declaration forms after tallying the results.
“Counting of votes should be done before it is dark,†said Felicitus Magomu, the party’s electoral commission boss.
Magomu said polling officials shall not open envelopes containing ballot papers and declaration forms before 8:00am. “Even after 8:00am officials shall not set up the ballot boxes or open envelopes unless there are at least 10 members of the electorate present.â€
An exhibition to confirm that the ballot box is empty before voting shall be conducted by the polling officials.
The officials will also have to display the envelopes with ballot papers to candidates and their agents to ensure that they have not been tampered with.
Magomu said unlike in the Monday election where paper envelopes were used, in today’s elections, ballot papers have been sealed in polythene envelopes. “After opening the envelopes, the polling officials shall check on the number of ballot papers in full view of campaign agents and voters,†she stressed.
The electoral commission condemned the violence, rigging and malpractices that occurred in the primaries on Monday. “This is indiscipline that should not continue in NRM. What has come out clearly is that people are so desperate,†Magomu remarked.
In one bizarre incident, Magomu disclosed, an NRM administrative officer in Kabonero sub-county in Kabarole district presented himself as a candidate for the LC III seat, conducted his own election and won. “That is top most rigging. He will lose his job and we have cancelled the results,†she said.
She observed that from 50% of places where elections were conducted on Monday, the EC had received petitions over the results. She further explained that in some cases, some people cried foul yet the voters genuinely voted for their opponents.
To avoid cases of electoral materials dissappearing, like it happened in Sembabule, Magomu disclosed that security had been beefed up. The NRM electoral commision has also abandoned the biometric register for Kampala and opted for the photographic register.