Stakeholders raise alarm over LC polls

The minister for Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi, without going into detail has earlier told this publication they are not ready to hold the much anticipated elections for LC I & II.

“It [the roadmap] is not ready. We are not yet ready to give an update. I am yet to report on the matter to Cabinet and then to Parliament and then I will release it, but they are still working and valid up to January 10. We are going to give guidance during this period between now and then,” Mr Magyezi said on November 21.

We were unable to reach him for an update yesterday.

Lack of the funds was until October 6 cited by the Electoral Commission for the failure to hold the overdue elections to fill thousands of grassroot leadership positions.

Finance Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, announced the release of Shs58b to bankroll the exercise on October 6, but there has been little activity since.

On October 20, the Electoral Commission cancelled a press briefing on the issue, where the road map and polling date were to be announced. The agency has remained quiet since.

The tenure of the current office holders first expired on July 10.

This expiration and unresolved legal questions caused hiccups across government and the citizenry. Parliament was forced to halt sittings for a week while citizens reported inability to secure police bond among other services since local council I leaders could not issue legally binding letters required for said services.

Government consequently extended their tenure for six months. This extension will expire on January 10, 2024.

EC has previously intimated to this publication that it takes approximately three months to organise and conduct the elections.

Concern is now mounting that the country may return to a similar legal and administrative conundrum witnessed in July when the terms of local council I and II expired.

“Deliberate plot”

According to Mr Ssemujju Nganda, the Kira Municipality MP and FDC Katonga faction spokesperson, the delay is a deliberate plot by the government to cripple political organisation by other parties.

“Even in the first place, the problem was never money. Museveni is tired of elections as a person. He doesn’t want an election anywhere, as the FDC headed by Lukwago, we had announced we were going to use LC elections to tour the whole country, it would be difficult to stop anyone from going and do politics. 

“One way of stopping politics and assembly in Uganda is not to hold elections. Does anyone think the government doesn’t have Shs60b to hold an election? They may come back to Parliament or continue operating illegally. I will be shocked if they are ever staged,” he said.

Mr Wilfred Niwagaba, the Shadow Attorney General and the MP for Ndorwa East, said hidden government happenings may be hindering the process.

“There must be something that is not seen by us and is known only by EC officials. I would sincerely believe Parliament would not fall for another extension, it would be irregular because this would not have been put to use.

“We still have time, but it is better they announce the road map because political parties need to organise and those things take considerable time,” he said.

“What excuse would the EC give for not holding the election since their major concern was funds, which were released? Unless they used the funds for something else, which would raise not only accountability issues but also willingness to conduct the election. It is important that they consider these administrative elections because the LCIs are the first call for all services,” he added

Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the spokesperson for the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, said they have not engaged the EC on the issue, and expressed concern of a possibility of insufficient period for political parties to prepare for the elections. 

“We think they just want to ambush us with the election without us planning, which will be unfortunate. But we keep trying to get set and are connecting with our leaders,” he said.

Ms Alice Alaso, the national coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party, attributed the hold-up and lack of clarity to the absence of goodwill on the part of the government since an election is not an emergency.

“There is a clear term of office that expires on a specific date. Those in executive authority should have planned. Unfortunately, the government continues to treat LC I elections as though they are a surprise. The argument of no money is also not valid because we know how wasteful our government is… the government is just playing on the minds of people, yet the local leaders are the most responsive to needs of the people,”Ms Alaso said.

She added: “The LCs make important decisions and for them to do it without the covering of legitimacy would be very problematic.”

Dr Tanga Odoi, the chairperson of the NRM electoral commission, said they have shifted their attention to conducting party elections. 

“We are concerned as other stakeholders, but the guidance on LCIs will be given by the Local Government. As NRM, we would have done better if we had a chance to elect LCI.  It would test our popularity in the whole country. We would use it as a litmus test to see where we are comfortable and where we need more effort… We would have been happy if EC had rolled out the LC I road map,” he said.