The Electoral Commission (EC) has come out strongly to demystify that its accounting officer/ secretary Mr. Sam Rwakoojo is holding the office legally.
Responding to claims made by the opposition FDC spokesperson Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda Monday, EC publicist Jotham Taremwa denied that Rwakoojo’s contract had expired longtime despite his stay in office.
“We are following every development at the Electoral Commission. The Secretary Sam Rwakojo is supposed to have left because his contract ended and it is not renewed under the Electoral Commission Act. He is still there presiding over activities relating to the next elections,” Ssemujju said in a statement issued Monday at the party head offices in Kampala.
Asked to clarify on this claim, Jotham told this website: “It’s still running and we do not discuss staff contracts as a matter of policy.”
On countrywide recruitment of election supervisors, FDC said EC hadn’t consulted the other parties.
“The Electoral Commission without consulting us and other parties is moving to recruit parish and sub-county election supervisors. These recruitments are supposed to be done after the necessary electoral and administrative reforms have been undertaken.
It is as if the Electoral Commission is preparing to organize an internal NRM party
primary. This FDC would like to warn the EC chairman not to involve himself in
organizing another sham election.
There will come a time in future when these individuals that are messing up the country, will personally have to answer for their crimes no matter how long it will take.
Major activities relating to elections are supposed to be undertaken after the necessary reforms. It appears, the Commission is moving on regardless,” Ssemujju added.
Jotham responded:
“The allegations by Hon. Semujju Nganda regarding EC are baseless arising out of his wild imaginations.
Electoral Commission does not conduct it’s business on the basis of future expectations or the likely change in the electoral laws. We follow the prevailing legal framework and right now we are implementing our roadmap to the 2021 general elections.
In exercising our constitutional mandate, Electoral Commission does operate under the direction or control of any one or authority.
So no one can stop our electoral program. With or without electoral reforms, there are sufficient electoral laws to guarantee a free and fair election.”