EC de-registers four political parties
Kampala. The Electoral Commission (EC) has deregistered four political parties for not adhering to the Political Parties and Organisations Act, 2005.
The four are the Farmers Party of Uganda (FPU), Uganda People’s Party (UPP), Popular People’s Democracy and National Revolutionary Organisation.
FPU official Bombokka-Nsiko, confirmed the development.
“It is true. The Electoral Commission said we did not submit a declaration of our assets and liabilities,” Mr Bombokka-Nsiko said yesterday.
He added that the party has appealed the EC’s decision.
The UPP secretary general, Mr Reagan Bwayo, confirmed that the EC had deregistered UPP.
“But we might rejuvenate,” Mr Bwayo said.
However, attempts to reach PPD’s Webster Lukwiya failed.
The law
According to the EC’s deputy spokesperson, Mr Paul Bukenya, the parties had fallen short of the provisions of Section 9 of Act, which provides for the declaration of assets and liabilities, among other requirements.
The declarations must be made within 60 days after the expiry of the first year after issuing to the party of a certificate of registration..
Deadlines
Where they fail to comply with within 21 days after notice from the EC, the election referee may apply to the High Court for an order to de-register the parties in fault.
Parties that were scrapped off the register can reapply – but the EC will have to vertify the registration criteria.
Now that the EC has removed the four off the register, Uganda is left with 25 political parties.
The rest
Only the National Resistance Movement, Forum for Democratic Change, the Democratic Party, Uganda Peoples Congress and the Justice Forum-are represented in Parliament.
In the case of the Uganda Federal Alliance, their president, Ms Beti Olive Kamya, has since been named minister for Kampala Affairs in the ruling NRM government.
