If I remember very well, the Electoral Commission refused to accept newly registered voters to recommend candidates mostly so for the Presidency of Uganda; and the affected candidates were required to get replacements for those signatures of those who were yet to be issued with voter cards. In which case, for Engineer Kiggundu to tell the Ugandans that those who registered late will do without cards is simply displaying the double standards of the Electoral Commission and this among other things undermines its credibility. This is simple common sense, if at that time the Commission rejected recommendations or backing of nominations by those who did not have voter cards, how do they turn around and say these people can vote without cards. Mr. Kiggundu, stop taking Ugandans for granted; if your Commission cannot foot the bill yet in your budget of billions you cannot tell us that the commission can fail to print cards, better print cheaper alternatives but let all voters have voters cards. It is absurd how your commission wants to do business as you wish and in so doing keep changing positions which eventually can have loopholes that can lead to rigging.
The Voter card has a Voter Personal ID; in which case all voters should have some card with this ID, secondly the document issued should have a photo as well as a Location Code as these are requirements found on all Voter Cards. Stop telling us that since the register has photos and names, then some voters can do without cards. If cards had been that unnecessary, would Government spend on them. Please issue the cards stop the excuses, they are unacceptable.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN UGANDA
In Uganda, registration of voters is optional and is done on a continuous, yet voluntary basis and is open to any one who qualifies to vote. Every voter should endeavor to check the status of his/her registration prior to any election or referenda.
Anyone who holds the following status at the time of registration may be registered as a voter:
1. Is a citizen of Uganda;
2. Has attained the minimum age of 18 years;
3. Is a resident, or originates from that parish where he/she intends to vote.
The registration team may be found at the following locations:
1. Office of the District Registrar, located at every district headquarters, in Uganda;
2. At the Voter Registration section at Electoral Commission headquarters, Kampala and
3. When the mobile teams announce their programmes in the Parishes, or at the Show grounds, or at major functions.
Legal Basis for Voter Registration
The legal basis for conducting voter registration in Uganda is Article 59(1) of the Constitution of Uganda (1995), which states that: It is the duty of every citizen of Uganda of eighteen years of age or above to register as a voter for public elections and referenda. reg1
According to section 19(1) of the Electoral Commission Act (1997), a person aged at least 18 years and he/she is citizen of Uganda may register as a voter in a parish where he/she originates from or resides.
Thus, a Voters' roll for each polling station in a parish has been compiled and only persons whose names appear on the roll are entitled to vote at an election (Section 19(12) Electoral Commission Act 1997).
1. The National Photo-Bearing Voters’ Register (PVRIS OR NVR)
This is the Basic Register in current use at any general election. It is the one used in the Presidential elections, Directly Elected Members of Parliament, District Woman Members of Parliament, Local Government Chairpersons, Directly elected Councilors, and Women Councilors at the District, Municipality, and Sub County levels. Voting at all these elections are by Universal Adult Suffrage and by Secret Ballot.
The PVRIS Register bears the Voter’s bio-data, which includes the following:
• Passport Photograph;
• Surname and other names;
• Electoral areas, i.e., District, Constituency, Sub County, Parish, Village, and Polling Station;
• The Date of Birth and Sex; &.
• Voters Code number.
Those whose names are not included in this register do not enjoy any of the benefits of a voter as mentioned above.
5.0 NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHAIRPERSONS [Section 111 (7) of LGA]
5.1 The nomination paper (Form EC 1) shall be accompanied by:
(a) a declaration by a person seeking nomination for election as Chairperson (Form EC 2);
(b) a declaration of income, assets and liabilities (Form EC 3);
(c) three postcard-size copies of recent coloured photograph (straight face) of the proposed candidate;
(d) evidence of the candidate’s appointment of his or her agent specifying the name, voter’s registration number, address and occupation of the official agent (Form EC 5);
(e) acceptance by the agent of appointment and a statement of oath before a Commissioner for Oaths or a person so authorised (Form EC 6);
(f) a statement under oath (Form EC 7) stating among other things
(i) that the person seeking nomination is a citizen of Uganda;
(ii) that he or she is eighteen years of age or above; and
(iii) that he or she is not disqualified from being a local government councillor under the Local Governments Act or any other law in force;
(g) candidate’s consent to his or her nomination (EC 8);
(h) a non-refundable fee in cash or bank draft payable to the relevant local government council as follows
(i) Two hundred thousand shillings (200,000/=) (Ten Currency Points) in the case of a district/City Chairperson;
(ii) One hundred thousand shillings (100,000/=) (Five Currency Points) in the case of a Municipality Chairperson; and
(iii) Fifty thousand shillings (50,000/=) (Two-and-a-half Currency Points) in the case a City Division, a Town or a Sub-County Chairperson.
NB: Candidates are advised to pay to the relevant Local Government Council in cash or bank draft and obtain General Receipts before nomination days.
COMMISSIONERS
Chairman ENG. DR. BADRU M. KIGGUNDU ( CHAIRMAN)
Bachelors degree in Engineering (BSc 1969), MSc 1971 Carnegie-Mellon University USA and PHD 1981 University of New Mexico USA. Eng. Dr. Kiggundu is a Geotechnical/Bituminous materials specialist. His research in Geotechnical and Bituminous materials has contributed a lot in the study of the same. He was Associate Professor, head of Department, Civil Engineering and later Dean of Faculty of Technology at Makerere University. He has held chairmanship of several conferences on Earthquake disaster preparedness and Engineering in Uganda.
He has been a consultant on various road works rehabilitation projects and as Director Technology Consult Ltd. In Uganda, He has authored an excess of 50 publications. He is entrusted with the stewardship of the Electoral Commission as Chairman since November 18th 2002. He is in charge of Near East districts Top
JOSEPH N. BIRIBONWA (DEPUTY CHAIRMAN)
Mr. Joseph N. Biribonwa holds a Bachelors of Commerce with Hons. Degree from the University of Nairobi. He has over 35 years of experience in Commercial Management of Public Enterprises (Export and Import Corporation, State Trading Corporation, Uganda Hardwares Ltd, Uganda Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Uganda Electricity Board and Electoral Commission); he was a Commissioner, Electoral Commission from 2002 to November 2009. He has previously served on several Institutional Boards e.g. African Furnishing House, Makerere University Council, Uganda Aids Commission, etc. and currently is Chairman, Crane Bank and is also Chairman Munyoyo Commonwealth Resort Ltd. He has undergone local and overseas specialised training for Chief Executives, Procurement, Public Utility Management, Election Administration etc, including Executive Attachment at Manitoba Hydro, Canada. He has been a regular International Elections Observer to several African Nations. He is a retired Speaker of Bunyoro Kingdom, and a member/past President of the Rotary Club of Kololo. He is in charge of Central North Region. Top
TOM. W. BURUKU (COMMISSIONER)
Mr.Tom Buruku has over 35 years experience in management and diplomatic service. He holds an Honours degree in Law from the University of Dar es salam. He worked in various positions in British American Tobacco Company(BAT Uganda Ltd)(1968-1980). 1981-1990 He served as secretary general, Uganda Red Cross. 1985-1990 He was appointed Director/Africa Department, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland. Between 1991-1997
Mr Buruku served as head of delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross in South Africa and Sierra Leone. Currently he is the chairman Uganda Red Cross and Consul of the Republic of Ghana in Uganda.He has been awarded several Honours for his dedicated service to humanity notably: ORDER OF MERIT KINGS COLLEGE BUDDO, ORDER OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE BY FINISH RED CROSS AND HONOUR OF SERVICE BY THE SPANISH RED CROSS. Mr. Buruku is in Charge of Far East Region. Top
Commissioner 5 DR. JENNY B. OKELLO (COMMISSIONER )
Dr Jenny B. Okello holds a BA of Arts degree in French and English from Makerere University, with a PHD (Linguistics) from Indiana university, Bloomington Indiana, USA. She lectured at the university of Ghana, Legon university of Ife(later renamed Obafemi Awolowo University) Nigeria and Makerere University in Uganda. She later worked for African Textile Mills as Personnel/Administration Manager and Government Central Purchasing Corporation as Personnel/Training manager. Commissioner Okello is in Charge of Central South region. Top
STEPHEN D. ONGARIA (COMMISSIONER)
Holds a Higher Diploma in Textile Technology from the Institute of Textile Technology, Manchester, U.K He was a General Manager in various larger public Parastatal Textile Industries for 16 years â notably; Uganda Rayon Textiles Manufacturers Ltd. Uganda Spinning Mill Ltd. Lira, Pamba (Mulco) Textiles Ltd. Jinja, Uganda Bags and Hessian Mill Ltd. Tororo under the umbrella of Uganda Developmetn Corporation. He was also a Member of Parliament for about 20 years, during which among other things, he represented the Parliament of Uganda in various regional and international fora. He, for instance, represented the Parliament of Uganda at the EU/ACP Parliament, in Brussels for a number of years. He was also one of the three MPs from the Parliament of Uganda who, together with 3 counterparts from Kenya and 3 from Tanzania, signed the East African Community Protocol establishing the Community in Dar-es-Salaam in 1998, on behalf of their respective countries. While in Parliament, he also served on a number of sessional and select committees. He was a delegate to the Constituent Assembly that debated and promulgated the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. He was also the Chairman, Board of Directors of the National Transport Licensing Board. He is currently a Member of the Board of Directors, Kinyara Sugar Works Ltd. Commissioner Ongaria is in Charge of the North Region. Top
AMB DR. TOMASI SISYE KIRYAPAWO (COMMISSIONER)
Bachelor of Veterinary Science – BVSC Univeristy of Nairobi, Post Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Extension Systems -National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Rajendranagar Hyderabad, India; Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Nutrition in Tropics and Semi Tropics-University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, Masters Degree in Animal Reproduction and Fellow of the Royal Veterinary College, Stockholm (Sweden) – FRVCS. He has worked as Uganda High Commissioner (Ambassador) to the United Kingdom and Uganda’s Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Ireland; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank. Body responsible for the National Livestock Breeding Policy.Member of the Health Service Commission (Commissioner) – Responsible for appointments, promotions, training, welfare, discipline and retirement of All Health Workers; Member of Parliament representing Budaka Constituency in Pallisa District/Minister in charge of Micro-credit (Entandikwa) 1996-1998; Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Gender and Cultural Affairs (1999-2000); Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development in charge of Mineral Development (2001); Commissioner for Animal Production Department, Assistant Commissioner of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry/Director of National Artificial Breeding Services, Senior Veterinary Officer in – charge of Artificial Breeding Centre, Entebbe; and many other responsibilities. He is in charge of South West Region. Top
MUGABI JUSTINE AHABWE (MRS) - COMMISSINER
Mrs Mugabi Justine Ahabwe holds a Bachelor of Education Degree in English Language and Literature from Makerere University, and a Diploma in Secondary Education from National Teachers' College Kabale.
She has 18 years of experience in teaching where she has served in positions of Careers teacher, Director of Studies among others.
She is an ardent Girl Guide and was once a Girl Guides District Commissioner for Rukungiri District.
MEANWHILE...
BALLOT PAPERS TO BE PRINTED IN BRITAIN
EC chief Badru Kiggundu displays a sample of the ballot paper at his office.
By Barbara Among
BALLOT papers for the 2011 presidential, parliamentary and district chairperson’s elections will be printed in the UK, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced.
The commission chairman, Badru Kiggundu, yesterday displayed the ballot papers designed by his team. The ballots, he said, will be in the country two-and-a-half weeks to the election date of February 18.
Sam Rwakojo, the commission secretary, said the ballot papers have over five security features “that cannot be duplicated by anybody.”
He, however, declined to mention the features.
The ballot papers bear the names of eight presidential candidates in the order of Abed Bwanika, Kiiza Besigye, Beti Kamya, Bidandi Sali, Norbert Mao, Olara Otunnu, Samuel Lubega and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The companies to print the papers are Smith & Ouzman Ltd of Sussex and Kalamazoo Secure Solutions Ltd of Worcestershire in the UK.
Smith Ouzman will print ballots for presidential and district woman MPs at a cost of 1448m pounds, while Kalamazoo Secure Solutions will print those for MPs, district chairpersons and councillors.
Lithotec Exports, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, will print ballot papers for sub-county and city division chairpersons and those for town, municipal and division councillors.
For the first time, a Chinese company, AVIC International Holdings Corp, won the contract to print ballot papers for municipal chairpersons and councillors and those for sub-county division chairpersons.
The commission will spend between 1.606m pounds (sh5.3b) to 2.19m pounds (sh7.3b) to print ballot papers for MPs and between 165,000 pounds (549m) and 250,000 pounds (sh832m) for district chairpersons and municipal leaders, those for municipality chairpersons and women councillors will cost between $1,469m (sh3.2b) and $1,497m (sh3.3b), while those for sub-county and municipal or division chairpersons will cost between $2,865m (sh6.3b) to $3,410m (sh7.5b).
Kiggundu said campaigns would not be held on January 27 since it will be a national polling day for village youth committees and councils.
The campaigns for village youth and councils start on January 23 and will end on January 25.
On election petitions filed with the commission, Kiggundu said his team had resolved at least 41 cases by the end of last week.
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