'Close all polling stations at health centres'

Oct 01, 2020

Kasirye said Uganda’s elections are normally characterised by electoral violence, which involves the use of both teargas and live bullets by the Police.

ELECTION WATCH | HEALTH 

The chairperson of the Wakiso district Human Rights Committee, Elly Kasirye, asked the Electoral Commission to close all polling stations located at health centres.

Kasirye said Uganda's elections are normally characterised by electoral violence, which involves the use of both teargas and live bullets by the Police.

He said should that be the case at the polling centres located at health facilities next year, patients will be affected.

The electoral violence that was witnessed during the NRM party primaries, Kasirye said, is a clear manifestation that the situation could be the same or worse in next year's general election.

He noted that about 150 mothers go to different health centres in Wakiso district to deliver, every month.

Kasirye made the remarks recently, while addressing journalists at the Wakiso district headquarters.

At the press conference, Kasirye was accompanied by the acting executive director of Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU), Charity Ahimbisibwe.

Electoral Commission spokesperson Paul Bukenya asked the Wakiso district Human Rights Committee and other civil society organisations to help them to spread the message of peace and tolerance, so that on the polling day, people do not become violent.

Bukenya said there are health centres with very big compounds which are used by the communities, adding that elections are for only one day.

He added that when choosing polling stations, the EC works with the communities to identify the convenient places for them to reach.

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