Kadaga receives electoral reforms

By Moses Mulondo

The Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) and National Consultative Forum (NFC) Monday presented to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga the proposed constitutional and reforms which have been agreed upon by the opposition parties and NRM including the need for an independent electoral commission. 

IPOD secretariat delegation that presented the proposals was composed of JEEMA spokesperson Umar Kalinge Nyago, DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga, NRM’s Saleh Kamba, Asiya Nasuna of CP, Patrick Baguma from FDC, Deo Njoki from DP, and among others, Eugene van Kemenade who represented the development partners.

Reading the proposals on behalf of the delegation, Kalinge Nyago informed Kadaga that out of the 48 proposals in the booklet 43 had been agreed upon by consensus between the opposition and the NRM.

“Both NRM and the opposition have agreed by consensus to make the appointment process of the members of the EC more transparent and inclusive by having the selection committee invite the registered political parties, professional bodies, civil society and the general public to nominate persons for appointment to the commission,” Kalinge explained to the speaker.

IPOD is constitutionally provided for to bring together political parties represented in parliament (FDC, UPC, DP, NRM, CP, and JEMA) to dialogue on issues of national concern.

The proposals where they failed to generate consensus pending wider consultation include the need to reinstate presidential term limits, removing preferential parliamentary seats for the army, youth and workers, proportional representation as an electoral system for Uganda and removing direct election of the president by adopting the parliamentary system where the party with the highest seats in parliament forms government.  

Core proposals agreed upon by consensus include an independent electoral commission agreed upon by stakeholders, public officers who wish to stand for elective positions to take leave before nomination day instead of resigning, and political parties to be represented on the tribunal constituted by the chief magistrate to determine the objections arising from the display of the voters’ rolls.

Others include the need increase nomination days for Presidential elections from two to three, requirement for  the EC to formulate voter education programmes jointly with the political parties and implement them continuously at least one year to elections, the number of EC commissioners to be increased from seven to nine and their term restricted to one none renewable term of even years, and  changing from the district to the constituency as the basic electoral unit where tallying should take place.

Meanwhile, a few minutes after the departure of the IPOD delegation, another group of the National Consultative Forum (NCF) led by the newly appointed Attorney General Fred Ruhindi, the EC chairman Dr. Badru Kiggundu and EC secretary Sam Rwakoojo also met the Speaker and presented to her another set of proposals for electoral reforms.

NCF is composed of the EC and all registered political parties although its deliberations are dominated by small parties and always shunned by the main opposition parties of UPC, DP and FDC.

The NCF proposals compiled by its secretary Rwakoojo include the need to review the recruitment and identification process of members of Electoral Commission through engagement of the Judicial Service Commission in consultation with stakeholders including political parties.

Other NCF proposals include registration and voting of Ugandans living in the Diaspora beginning with East African countries, and funding of all registered political parties and compliance by government.


In her response, Kadaga said, “Today I have had both IPOD and NCF presenting their proposals for electoral reforms.

Some of the proposals are similar. As I have said before many times, the sooner government presents the Bills to parliament the better. We shall ask MPs to go back and consult their constituencies on the proposals for reforms like we have done for some Bills.”

Promising that government will table the Bills containing the reforms within two weeks, Ruhindi said, “Both the NRM and the opposition need to agree on the common good for the nation. Government has been discussing the reforms. We are committed to the cause for reforms. For the first time, we shall have a credible voters’ register which will prevent rigging.”