Political Parties back EC’s suspension of Women Council, Committee elections

By Francis Lubega

24^th June 2022

Political Parties have welcomed the move by the Electoral Commission to suspend elections for the women councils and committees country wide.

In a statement released on Friday by the EC Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, the commission suspended programmes for Women Council and Committee elections that were expected in the next two months after the Ministry of Finance informed them that funds to organize these elections were not available.

It should be noted that on February 18, 2022, the Electoral Commission issued a roadmap detailing the various activities to be conducted under the programme for elections of Women Councils and Committees from the Village to the National Level.

To date the Commission has finalized the compilation of the Village Women Residents’ Register and is currently conducting the display of the said registers at each Village/Cell across the country in preparation for subsequent activities, like; nomination of candidates and polling at the village level.

The remaining activities under the approved programme starting with the nominations of candidates, which were earlier scheduled for Monday June 27th– July 1st 2022, have also been suspended.

Now, speaking to the Vice Chairperson for the National Consultative Forum from the Opposition National Unity Platform NUP Jolly Mugisha noted that the commission will use this time to deal with the complaints failed in regards to registration of women voters in the register.

Mugisha says many have reported inconsistencies, lack of transparency and investigate why there was low turn-up during the registration exercise, poor mobilization and sensitization of Ugandans about the elections among challenges.

She has also called upon the Electoral Commission to address the issue of RDC interfering in the works of the Commission to avoid tarnishing the image of the EC.

The electoral commission requires Shs35.6b to organize the election and at the moment, only Shs15.6bn has been provided, which leaves a funding gap of Shs20bn.