The Electoral Commission (EC) chairman Justice Simon Byabakama Mugyenyi has on Wednesday morning recommended that civil society organisations should petition parliament to amend the polling method of Local Council elections.
Living Sewanyina who heads Foundation for Human Rights flanked by belligerent self proclaimed women activist Miria Matembe and Crispy Kaheru who runs CCEDU a consortium that oversees all civil society organisations on electoral democracy stormed EC head offices and held a closed door meeting with the Commission’s top officials.
In the meeting these civil society activists suggested that the method of queuing while casting a vote for LC1, 11 and 11 should be abolished.
Instead, Byabakama told them that they were addressing wrong fora but rather advised Sewanyina and group to petition Parliament which makes laws.
EC spokesman Jotham Taremwa told TrumpetNews that, “Members of CCEDU met with the Commission on LC1. They are opposed to the method of lining up. We have agreed with them that they should instead petition Parliament but as EC ours is to implement the law as is.”
“The Commission reiterated that the law can only be changed by Parliament and clarified that it will organise elections as the law provides.”
Parliament recently passed the law to have LC1 polls conducted after a staggering 15 years without a re-election.
But the Ministry of Finance has been resolute that there is no money to carry out this exercise.
EC requires over shs 19 billion to successfully execute this process.