EC Revises Programme For Elections in New Municipalities

Whereas candidates and their supporters continue to prepare for elections in the recently created municipalities, the Electoral Commission (EC), has revised the earlier communicated roadmap, extending polling for Municipality Members of Parliament to July 27.

EC has explained that the changes which have created an outward curve, are only intended to create a reasonable space between different election levels.

“The reason for revision of the dates is to provide enough time between the different election levels,” read part of the EC new programme.

Government recently established new administrative units creating 2,828 positions of leadership to be filled in 53 districts in the country.

The newly created areas include 7 municipalities, 194 sub counties, 64 towns and 23 municipal divisions.

Earlier, the Commission had set the date for polling for councillors representing special interest groups (SIGs) at all levels for July 13. However, in the new programme, campaigns for councillors representing SIGs at municipal level will run from July 8 – 11. They will go to polls on July 13.

Those representing SIGs at Sub-county, Town and Municipal division will campaign from July 8 – 17 before polling on July 19.

District/sub county directly elected councillors, district/sub-county women councillors as well as sub-county, town, municipal division Chairpersons will campaign up to July 20 before polling on July 24.

Campaigns for member of parliament, municipal directly elected councillors, municipal women councillors and municipal chairperson and councillors whose polling date was earlier scheduled for both July 17 and 19, will according to the new programme campaign from June 8 – July 25. Electorate will cast their votes on July 27.

The six municipalities which will elect members of parliament include Apac, Nebbi, Ibanda, Sheema, Bugiri and Kotido.

However, many political analysts project Bugiri municipality as the constituency to watch, given the politics surrounding the contestants.

Five people are in the race including Justice Forum President Asuman Basalirwa who is backed by independent MP and Kyadondo East lawmaker Robert Kyagulanyi, FDC’s Eunice Namatende and NRM’s Francis Oketcho.