EC sets polling dates, insists local firms can’t print ballots 

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday set polling dates for parliamentary and local government council elections and added that that the country has no local company with capacity to print ballot papers for the 2021 General Election. 
The new EC polling schedule shows that councillors for older persons, persons with disabilities and youth representatives to sub-county will be voted first on January 11, 2021, before Members of Parliament and district woman representatives to Parliament three days later.
Justice Simon Byabakama, the EC chairperson, however, said they will only set the presidential polling date after their nomination next month. Only 19 presidential aspirants have submitted their endorsement forms and the EC is verifying the voter signatures ahead of the November 2 and 3 nomination dates.

On the unresolved fight over printing ballot papers, Justice Byabakama ruled out local companies in printing the ballots, on account of lack of capacity.
Justice Byabakama explained that there are many variables involved in printing ballot papers which in case of a mistake, can cause a national crisis. He cited Kampala District which has five divisions and each must have separate elective positions and candidates. It is some of these complexities that EC considered in addition to lack of security features to deny local companies the deal to print the 2021 ballot papers.  
“We have to support Buy Uganda Build Uganda. But in our technical assessment, it was found out that the local companies do not have the capacity to print ballot papers. A ballot paper is not like any other print. It has many things. There are so many variables. When you set a newspaper to be sold to the entire country, what variable do you make there? When you set an examination paper, what variable do you have there?” Justice Byabakama said.  
He added: “If you make a mistake in printing ballot papers, then you are heading for a crisis. According to our technical people, they found that they [local printers] do not have security printing capacity to avoid ballot papers being duplicated by other printers. It is a whole range of issues. The way you know our politicians, can they accept that we print ballot papers here in Uganda? It is not enough to have a big plant. But do you have the capacity to print those engraved features that are in ballot papers?”

Last month, EC awarded the tender of printing ballot papers to seven foreign companies; Tall Security Printers (UK), Uniprint (South Africa), United Printing and Publishing (Abu Dhabi, UAE), Adare Sec Ltd (UK), and Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company (Dubai).
The local companies which had lost the bidding petitioned the EC to review its decision. The EC refused to change its decision. 
The local companies petitioned the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) which is yet to resolve the matter. 
Mr Benson Turamye, the PPDA executive director yesterday said they were still assessing the petitions from five local companies before declaring their verdict. 
“We have already had hearings from three companies and tomorrow (today) we shall do the last one before we hear from EC. If the process was followed lawfully, there will be no need for a re-procurement,” Mr Turamye said in a telephone interview. 
Justice Byabakama said the coronavirus outbreak affected the EC activities and budget with an additional Shs50 billion needed to put in place measures to prevent further spread of the virus during the election season.
Already, more than Shs800 billion had been budgeted to take the commission through the three-year phased preparations for the 2021 elections.   
“When we were doing the budget in 2018, nobody knew Covid-19 was around the corner. But now we are saying every polling station must have handwashing machines and temperature guns,” he said.
Justice Byabakama said they are using this period to sort the candidates’ particulars like photographs, the symbols, party flag and name as they wait for the PPDA verdict and hope to finally have ballot papers ready by early December. 
Without giving details, Justice Byabakama said they had awarded Shs80b procurement contract of biometrics to a foreign firm. 
“Contract for biometrics has been awarded. It is another foreign company. Ugandans have been awarded to provide aprons and some other printing work taking place. But transmission system, ballot papers were given to foreign companies. We are procuring a system where every polling station (more than 35,000 polling stations) will have that system to identify voters,” Justice Byabakama said.
EC maintained a ban on processions and public rallies and limited numbers at a meeting to 70 persons and only after returning officers have inspected the open venues to ensure the standard operating procedures for Covid-19 prevention are observed.
Candidates will campaign between 7am to 6pm after harmonizing their timetables while public address systems have been limited in use between 7am to 9am with a break of about seven hours before resuming at 4pm and ending at 6pm.
Campaign guidelines
•Campaigns shall be conducted between 7am and 6pm; and in accordance with the candidates’ campaign programme.        
•Candidates and their agents shall not use or publish any language or defamatory words, which incite public disorder, hatred, violence. 
•Processions and public/mass rallies remain banned to curb the spread of Covid-19. 
•Candidates will be allowed to organise campaign meetings with a maximum of 70 people.
•Candidates should identify suitable venues and notify the respective Returning Officers, who will conduct an inspection together with other authorities to ensure that the SOPs are followed.
•Candidates and their agents are advised to use non-contact means of communication to interact with the electorate.
•Candidates who use posters or banners are warned against putting them on road traffic signs and hanging them on electricity power lines, or in a manner that endangers traffic and pedestrian movement.
•Public Address Systems (kizindaalo) will be used between 7am-9am and 4pm-6pm, as per the campaign programme.