EC should reconsider its roadmap to register new voters

By; Francis Lubega

19^th Feb. 2020

The parliamentary committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs has advised the Electoral commission , ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s office to revise the electoral road map.

This was after a heated debate between the committee and the officials on the matter of early ending of registering voters which closed on December 23^rd  2019

Some of the committee members like Kiira municipality Mp Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said that they are many Ugandans who have clocked 18 years of age since the registration was closed which disenfranchises that set of ugandans from their right to vote come 2021 general elections.

Furthermore Mps also raised the concern of the long campaigning period of six month saying it will drain them financially.

EC had set nominations for parliamentary and presidential from August to January of next year which Mps are opposed to.

This was later ruled on by the chair of the committee Jacob Oboth and asked EC with its mother ministries to go back until Tuesday next week and come up with a harmonized position of extending the voter registration.

However the chairman EC Justice Simon Byabakama informed the committee that the changes may affect the smooth preparations for a free and credible election on top of demanding for  more manpower and finances.