Lukwago sues EC over polling stations

The Member of Parliament for Kampala Central, Mr Erias Lukwago, has taken the Electoral Commission (EC) to court for establishing what he called illegal polling stations for security personnel.

Mr Lukwago petitioned the High Court yesterday protesting the establishment of exclusive polling stations for the army, intelligence and other security personnel which he said have in the past been used as rigging centres by the NRM party.

He also protested the ongoing display of the voters register saying it is being conducted irregularly and illegally in breach of the Electoral Commission Act.
The polling stations in question are located within Nakasero, Kololo and Kololo 11 parishes.

The new electoral poll laws prohibit the establishment of exclusive polling stations for the army, intelligence and other security personnel.

Phase out
The MP wants Kampala High Court to compel EC to phase out immediately the said polling stations. He further seeks court to quash EC’s decision to display the voters register before publishing in the gazette and in the print media a list of all places at which a voter’s register is required to be displayed with the period of the stipulated time under the law which is 60 days.

The MP avers that the law makes it mandatory for EC to publish in the gazette and print media a list of all places at which a voter’s register is required to be displayed at least 60s day before the display, which EC did not do.
In the affidavit, Mr Lukwago states that the coming into force of the amended Presidential Elections Act and Parliamentary Elections Act and the EC Act affected the polling stations in question.

“I am aware that the Presidential Elections Act and Parliamentary Elections Act, which came into force on June 25, 2010 and the EC Act clearly prohibited the undemocratic practice of establishing polling stations for the army, intelligence and other security personnel,” states Mr Lukwago.

Addressing press later at Parliament, Mr Lukwago said he raised the concerns to EC in a letter dated August 2 but they never bothered to correct the mistakes.