EC unveils 2016 polls roadmap
Chairman of Reform Party Mr. Robert Ndyomugyenyi (C), is whisked away by police officers after he was denied entry at the launch of the Electoral Commission strategic plan and roadmap for 2016 yesterday. PHOTO BY ISAAC KASAMANI.
What you need to know:
The Electoral Commission has released a roadmap to guide political parties and voters ahead of the 2016 General Election.
The Commission yesterday presented a 17-page document dubbed ‘The Strategic Plan 2013-2017’ focusing on strengthening elections management, ensuring fair elections and improving access to the voters’ register and voter education
KAMPALA
The Electoral Commission (EC) has released a roadmap to guide political parties and voters ahead of the 2016 General Elections. The Commission yesterday presented a 17-page document, “The Strategic Plan 2013-2017”, focusing on strengthening elections management, ensuring fair elections and improving access to the voters’ register and voter education.
The EC said it will require more than Shs1 trillion to complete the roadmap.
According to the EC, capture and update of the register will run from March to April 2015. The Commission will then issue electronic and hard copies of the register to participating political parties. But even as the EC released the plan, opposition parties were quick to voice their disapproval, saying the launch was “premature, ridiculous diversionary and contemptuous.”
The opposition insisted that the EC ignored their recommendations, while others claimed not to have been consulted. Key among the demands of the opposition is the adoption of a Biometric Voters Register (BVR) and the re-composition of the EC to make it independent.
Opposition parties contend that a BVR will help to curb multiple registration of voters.
EC officials yesterday insisted a BVR will be used come 2016, but could not provide an elaborate explanation on how it will work.
Ignored
The Head of the European Union Delegation in Uganda, Mr Roberto Ridolfi, said the EC ignored some of the donor’s recommendations like the composition of the EC “because they are of a political nature.”
Uganda Federal Alliance president Beti Kamya said the Commission’s priority should be organising a national referendum and not rolling out a roadmap.
Democratic Party secretary general Mathias Nsubuga said the launch should have come after electoral reforms tabled before Parliament.
