3,800 villages to miss LC elections

KAMPALA. A total of 3,821 villages will miss the Local Council elections countrywide because they are not captured in the Electoral Commission’s national data system.
The Local Council One (LC1) elections will be held on July 10.
The revelation was made yesterday by Jennifer Namuyangu, the State Minister for Local Government, while addressing journalists on the forthcoming LC1 elections.
“As a ministry, we have a total of 64,621 villages in the whole country. However, the Electoral Commission has 60,800 villages which will be eligible to vote next week. The difference of 3,821 villages stems from the creation of new administrative units, which became effective on July 1,” Ms Namuyangu said.
She explained that by the time the new administrative units came into force, EC had already registered and budgeted for 60,800 villages.
The EC spokesman, Mr Jotham Taremwa, told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that Shs15b had been allocated for both Women Councils and LCI elections in the country.
Ms Namuyangu said government will unveil a roadmap for the LC elections in the new villages, which are not reflected in the EC register, after next Tuesday’s elections.
“Those who are left out shouldn’t worry because we are in touch with EC as far as elections in these residual areas is concerned. These also include vacancies at parish, sub-county, constituency and district level in the new units,” she said.
The minister for Local Government, Mr Tom Butime, underscored the importance of LC elections and urged people to elect their new leaders.
“Research has established that about 80 per cent of our citizens access justice through the informal court systems because they are user friendly in terms of procedure, language, financial resources, proximity and speedy discharge of disputes,” he said.
Mr Butime denied there was low voter turnout in the Women Council elections, which were held on Tuesday. He insisted the exercise was successful.
The nominations of LC candidates ended yesterday and campaigns are expected to commence today and end on Monday.
Government has declared July 10, the voting day, a public holiday to allow people ample time go and vote.
The declaration is contained in a July 3 letter from the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Public Service, Ms Catherine Bitarakwate.