EC Given Fortnight to Hold Elections in New Districts or Be Sued

The Electoral Commission (EC) is likely to be sued in courts of law, over failure to conduct elections in the newly created districts.

These which include Bugweri, Nabilatuk, Kapelebyong, Kassanda, Kwaina and Kikuube have stayed close to eight months since their creation without leaders and other representatives.

EC had budgeted for Shs 3.5billion to conduct the exercise.

In a notice of intention to sue to the Secretary Electoral Commission, through Galisonga and Company Advocates, Wagubi David Kato a voter and a resident in Bugweeri district says he has lost patience over the matter.

He says the delay does not only contravene EC’s mandate to hold elections within sixty days of creating a district, but also deprives him from access to proper service delivery.

“The requirement by law that elections for several offices including District Chairperson, Councillors and Woman member of Parliament, etc should have been conducted within 60 days from the date of creation which didn’t happen,” read the notice in parts.

He adds that EC’s ‘neglect’ of its constitutional mandate has created a political lacuna and vacuum in many aspects as well as negatively impacting on the people in the district.

He says that for Bugweeri in particular, the delayed conducting of elections has caused the district to be enveloped in perpetual political campaigns, politicking and anxiety which according to him, is affecting work and productivity of the people.

Kato adds that “people wake up daily to the above activities and this is likely to result in famine and incapacity to meet obligations like paying school fees.”

As a result, he has given a two-week ultimatum to the electoral body to conduct the said elections, failure of which will attract legal action.

But EC insists, they have not yet received the funds from government to facilitate the voting exercise in the districts in question.

The Commission’s Spokesperson, Jotham Taremwa said early this month that it is beyond EC to give timelines on when the elections in the new districts will be held, saying they are waiting for funding from government.

He as well asked politicians interested in different positions in the newly created districts to stop campaigns, pending the Commission’s communication.