The Electoral Commission (EC) has Wednesday afternoon asked Ugandans to remain calm as it organises new dates for Local Council I and II and Village Women Council elections.
This follows the lifting of the court injunction which was placed on the elections in November last year.
Speaking to journalists at the offices of the Electoral Commission in Kampala, the Commission’s Chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama said that it is now incumbent upon them (Electoral Commission) to set fresh dates for the polls.
“Following an agreement between the Electoral Commission and the petitioners, court has today lifted the injunction on LC I, II and women village council elections and the Commission can now resume arrangements for the polls,” he said.
“We have just received the ruling, we can’t give you a road map now because we need to read and internalize the ruling before issuing a detailed statement,” Byabakama added.
The Electoral Commission had set November 14 for the election of women village committees and November 21 last year as days for electing Local Council I Committees but Court blocked them following an application by James Tweheyo.
In his application, Tweheyo challenged the elections which had been scheduled in the course of examinations which would disenfranchise students who were eligible voters.
OnWednesday, Byabakama said that they have agreed that elections are a process which can not be accomplished in a single holiday session to suit everybody’s schedule.
On whether voters will still line behind candidates as it was in the earlier arrangements, Byabakama reiterated that it is provided in the law and the petitioners didn’t contest it.
“Lining up in the back LC I, II and women village councils is provided in the law and it is not among what we have agreed upon with the petitioners and so, we shall still lineup behind candidates of our choice”, he added.
Justice Byabakama further said that the Commission will need more money to effectively conduct these elections since the whole process will be repeated including registering students who had earlier not been registered.