Local government elections amendment bill passed.

By; Francis Lubega

05^th Aug 2020

Parliament has this afternoon passed the local government elections amendment bill without clauses that required chairpersons of sub-county, town councils and divisions to have academic qualifications.

At the beginning of this year Parliament passed the five electoral bills as presented by government and forwarded it to the President last month for approval but rejected to ascent to it on grounds that the inclusion of academic qualifications on different positions at local government level in the local government elections amendment bill was discriminatory.

Parliament had wanted for chairpersons of Sub County, town councils and divisions to have at least a minimum of A ‘level and district and city councillors at least O’levels academic qualifications.

Now Parliament has this afternoon agreed to remove the minimum academic qualifications and even though the committee had proposed that minimum academic qualifications of councillors be maintained and start operation in 2026, it was also rejected by parliament.

This has come after just a day when Parliament approved the representation of the elderly persons on the list of special interest groups five legislators, voted on a regional basis. This was embedded in the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill, which was presented by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Ephraim Kamuntu and approved during the plenary session chaired by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga on Tuesday.