The Electoral Commission (EC) has demarcated 2nd and 3rd November for nomination of all Ugandans seeking to contest for the highest office in the land.
The Presidential Race has so far attracted 80 spirants who have picked forms and will await to be selected by the EC after they present required credentials.
Key Ugandans who have expressed interest in Presidency are Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, Hon Robert Kyagulanyi, Hon Norbert Mao, Eng. Joseph Mabiriz, and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who will be seeking a reelection for 5 term.
The EC chairman Justice Simon Byabakama, clarified that the credentials for running for President are; above 18 years of age , shs 20 million, academic qualification of senior six certificate or an equivalent, and 100 signatures from 2/3 of districts in Uganda.
He said an aspirant with a qualification equivalent to S.6 should seek a certificate from UNEB two months before nomination.
Below is Justice Byabakama’s detailed statement;
It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you to the premises of the Electoral Commission. I thank you for responding to our invitation, and for observing the measures we have instituted to fight the spread of COVID-19.
On behalf of the Members of the Commission, the Management and Staff of the Commission, I wish to extend our sincere appreciation to you for promoting the message of prevention of spread of COVID-19 during the electoral process.
Today, the Electoral Commission will brief you on the progress of the implementation of the Roadmap for the 2020/2021 General Elections, as follows:
- Progress of Special Interest Groups (SIG) Elections, 2020
The Electoral Commission has concluded the conduct of elections for Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Committees from the Village to the Sub County level.
The Commission wishes to appreciate all those stakeholders who have participated in the electoral process to-date. As you are aware, this electoral process is progressive and the next levels will be conducted as follows:
Nomination of Municipality and City Division SIG Committees Candidates (Older Persons, Persons With Disabilities, Youth): 21st – 22nd September, 2020
Conduct of Municipality & City Division SIG Committees Candidates’ Campaigns: 23rd – 24th September, 2020
Polling for Municipality and City Division OP Committees: 25th September, 2020
Polling for Municipality and City Division PWD Committees: 28th September, 2020
Polling for Municipality and City Division Youth Committees: 30th September, 2020
As the SIGs elections progress, the Commission reiterates that the health and safety of the voters, candidates, elections staff and other stakeholders should be the most important consideration during the electoral process.
All stakeholders should, therefore, carefully observe the Standard Operating Procedures that have been developed to guide the conduct of electoral activities under the COVID 19 environment.
- Demarcation of Parliamentary Constituencies
As you are aware, the Electoral Commission has just concluded a nationwide exercise to demarcate Parliamentary Constituencies.
This was brought about by Parliament’s creation of new counties recently, new cities and Government’s creation of new town councils and sub counties, after the Commission had rolled out the Revised Roadmap. The purpose of the demarcation exercise was to clearly define the areas of representation to Parliament by Directly Elected Members of Parliament in response to various changes in population, boundaries and numbers of constituencies prescribed in accordance with Article 63(1) of the Constitution.
The list of the demarcated 353 Parliamentary Constituencies has been uploaded on the EC website and gazetted.
The Commission has also undertaken various activities in preparation for the nomination exercise and ultimately the polling for General Elections 2021.
Accordingly, as at 17th September 2020, and for purposes of the 2020/2021 General Elections, the electoral statistics stand as follows:
- No. of Districts in Uganda: 146
- No. of Counties: 312
- No. of Constituencies: 353
- No. of Sub Counties/Towns/Municipal Divisions: 2,184
- Number of Parishes: 10,595
- Number of Villages: 70,626
- Number of Polling Stations: 34,344
- Number of Registered Voters: 17,658,527*
*(Number of males: 8,439,564 [47.79%]; number of females: 9,218,963 [52.21%]).
- Nomination of Candidates for Local Government Councils Elections, 2021
The Electoral Commission has appointed 21st September to 1st October 2020, as the dates for the nomination of candidates for Local Government Councils Elections 2021.
The nomination of candidates shall take place at the venues indicated in the table below, during weekdays, beginning at 9.00 a.m. and ending at 5:00pm on each of the appointed dates.
- District/City Chairperson and District/City Councillor: 21st Sept –1st Oct 2020 at the respective District Headquarters
- Municipality/City Division Chairperson and Municipality/City Division Councillor: 21st Sept –1st Oct 2020 at the respective District Headquarters.
- Sub County/Town/Mun. Div. Chairperson and Sub County/Town/Mun. Div. Councillor, from 21st Sept – 1st Oct 2020 at respective County Headquarters
The nomination exercise will be followed by a campaign period leading to the polling days for the various elective positions (above), during the period January 10th – February 8th 2020.
