The current Women Councils were elected and Committees constituted during the period of July – August 2018.

According to the National Women’s Council Act, the terms of office of the said Councils and Committees is four (4) years, implying their term will expire in August 2022.

The spokesperson of the Commission Paul Bukenya, has said the above elections were conducted in a total number of 60,800 villages/cells and 8,387 parishes which have since increased due to creation of new Administrative Units.

Bukenya says the Commission took 26 days to conduct the verification exercise (from March 1^st to 26^th 2022) and the display of lists of the verified administrative units for public viewing starts today, Monday, April 11 to Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at the division and Sub County headquarter level countrywide and during working hours including weekends.

“This will enable the public to check for the correctness/accuracy of the details of their respective administrative units, that is, the parish/ward and village/cell and enable them to confirm that the administrative units are correctly located within their respectful and rightful sub-county/town council/municipal division and parish/ward.

This is also to ensure that those created by April 9 2021 by way of a statutory instrument are included on the list.”

According to Bukenya, the Commission has provided a form at every division/sub-county level for the public to lodge complaints against the inclusion or omission of an administrative unit. These shall be registered by returning officers or elections supervisors.

By May 13 2022, the Commission is expected to produce a final list of processed data of administrative units which will be disseminated to all stakeholders.

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The exercise is intended to enable the Commission to identify and harmonize any variance in the database of Administrative Units and recommend for removal of a village/cell that may illegally appear on the list without a Statutory Instrument starting on the 17th to the 26th of March 2022.

According to the current statistics as per the Electoral Commission database (2022), the number of Administrative Units in Uganda has increased since the completion of the 2021 General Elections electoral cycle to a total of 146 Districts/Cities, 2,211 Sub Counties/Towns/Municipal Divisions, 431 Wards in the cities, 10,259 Parishes/Wards in the districts, 70,512 Villages/cells.

Paul Bukenya the Ag. Spokesperson of the Electoral Commission says the verification and confirmation of Administrative Units countrywide is a very important exercise in preparation for the smooth organization and conduct of the coming Women Councils and Committees and the Administrative Units (LC 1 and LC 2) Elections which will be held soon this year (2022) and in 2023 consecutively.

“The exercise will help the Commission to confirm that the existing administrative units have been legally created by Statutory Instrument and that they are correctly located within their respectful and rightful Sub-county/Town Council/Municipal Division and Parish/Ward and; the names are correctly listed according to the District, Constituency, Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division, Parish/Ward and Village/Cell).

We urge all stakeholders to take note of the period for the exercise, and to participate in the confirmation of the Administrative Units in accordance with the guidelines set.”

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GUIDELINES FOR VERIFICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS

Stage 1: Desk Verification Exercise (EC Headquarters and District/City Offices)

1. Request for list of administrative units from the Ministry of Local Government and the respective Districts/City Local Governments for harmonization with the Electoral Commission database;

2. Comparison of the submitted lists with the Electoral Commission database to  confirm the legality of the administrative units, that is, creation by Statutory Instrument;

3. Confirmation of placement of the administrative unit (village/cell) in the respective higher administrative level (parish/ward);

4. Compiling of lists of units of variance for verification and confirmation during the field exercise;

Stage 2: Field Verification Exercise

1. Stakeholder mobilization and engagement to create awareness on the purpose of the verification exercise;

2. Recruitment and training of verification officials

3. Preparation and production of materials for the verification exercise;

4. Delivery of materials to districts/cities;

5. Conduct of verification meetings at the sub county level;

6. Retrieval of verification returns to the district and finally the Electoral Commission headquarters;

Stage 3: Verification of Returns to produce a harmonized list of Administrative Units

1. Compilation of verified returns

2. Display of the verified and harmonized list at the sub county level;

3. Receiving and hearing any objections against inclusion/omission of administrative unit(s), and determining the complaints arising out of the verification exercise;

4. Publication of final harmonized list of administrative areas;

5. Dissemination of the final harmonized list to stakeholders;

Summary Program for the Conduct of Verification of Administrative Units, March-May 2022

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The First Division Court Martial of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in Kakiri chaired by Sam Mugenyi has sentenced a former Local Defense Unit personnel who killed a civilian in last year’s November riots in Kampala to 35 years imprisonment.

The accused and sentenced is a 30-year-old Ssali Mustafa who was by then an LDU attached to Wandegeya.

He is accused of killing Ibrahim Kileevu during the November riots in Kampala. 

The Uganda People’s Defense Forces have apologized for the delay in dispensing justice but blame this on bureaucracies in some government offices which need to be investigated and the UPDF will compensate the family of the deceased according to sources.

It should be remembered that the November riots in Kampala that left many citizens dead and many more injured erupted following the arrest of the then Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine. 

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This must be understood by all Ugandans within and outside the Country but literally subscribe to a specific culture. There will never be a day that Buganda or any other Kingdom will cease to be part of Uganda.

Buganda is in a strategic position in Uganda and by its precise location an important part of the Country as a capital. No sane President will allow Buganda to declare itself a Sovereign Independent Country within Uganda. The best Buganda like any other part of the Country will get is Regional System of Government locally called Federo.

Historically, Buganda played an important role in the formation of the politics in Uganda and the importance of that role precisely influences the thinking of other cultures towards Buganda up-to today.

The Baganda are really very good people and so accommodating and to be friendly than any other group in the whole Country. My 17 years experience of living in Buganda made me to explore and know more about the Ganda people more so in the discipline sphere.

The problem has always been that some Ideologically disoriented in otherwards confused Politicians have misused their identity as Baganda to indoctrinate other people so that they can achieve their personal & selfish agendas using the Buganda ticket.

These are the true enemies of Baganda, Buganda and Uganda because they remind other groups of the role Baganda played from the time of colonialism to post independence dating upto 1980s. These Ideologically unclear people blackmail Buganda by attempting to lead the genuine Strategic Interests of Buganda using irrational and subjective approaches befitting of Populist approaches devoid of pragmatism.

It is high time Mengo puts a caveat on the misuse of Buganda’s strategic interests for selfish agendas by some ideologically bankrupt groups of Buganda Politicians. Failure to do so will continuously disfavor their Presidential Candidate and I guess it may take another generation to completely neutralise the negative consequences of such toxic approaches.

The Katikiro of Buganda, OWEK. Charles Peter Mayiga having distanced himself from the call to endorse Hon Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu as Buganda’s choice for Presidential Candidate was a high score in diplomacy.

Mr Mayega has avoided the negative implications of such unrealistic and un-Nationalistic actions towards Buganda and Uganda as a country. To his disadvantage, the insensitive media has done damage by taking the line of Mr Kyagulanyi’s thought of using tribalism to aspire for National positions requiring the decision of all tribes in Uganda.

In reality, the area of Buganda is gradually being occupied by Non-Baganda or Hybrids for example Lwengo, Ssebambule, Greater Gomba, Nakasongola, Greater Mubende, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi,  Nakaseke, Kyotera et al are now having many of these kind of people who have even performed inter-marriages including him as a married man.

Using Buganda as a ticket for Political reasons is a worst position to target a political seat at the helm of the Central Government as a political candidate. It threatens the safety of other cultures which are represented with equally a high proportion of Non-Baganda. This alone can ignite other cultural groups to deliberately refuse to vote Baganda Presidential Candidates due to the fear of Xenophobic attacks.

The Baganda people are very good but the few noisy and ideologically disoriented Baganda Politicians blackmail Buganda causing it to suffer from misconceptions about its leadership from upright politicians.

Hon Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu made a big mistake to request to be endorsed as the Buganda’s choice of Presidential Candidate yet there are other Baganda Presidential Aspirants. He went ahead to pledge immediate implementation of Strategic Interests of Buganda without understanding the Historical reasons for their delays and the impacts outside Buganda.

Therefore, Hon Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu will fail to win in other regions/ tribal dominant areas due to the Sectarianism he has personally announced. He will have difficulties to win a National election to start with; the Kampala metropolitan area which is an administrative and Central Business area for the country.

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Following the end of Parliamentary and Local government nominations, the Electoral Commission marked November 9^th, for Campaigns to officially start and to end by 1st of February 2021.

However, the Minister has urged politicians to be mindful of the guidelines for the political campaigns saying that this should not be a time for candidates to use abusive language against each other.

Candidates are warned against defaming others, telling falsehoods against each other, inciting public disorder, inciting hatred or violence, Nabakooba said.

Candidates are expected to conduct their campaigns in a manner that respects the diversity of culture and political differences.

On the matter of campaign posters, all local government authorities including KCCA have issued guidelines for setting up campaign posters.

For example, campaign posters should not be pinned on road signs; campaign banners should not be hanging on electricity power lines.

Campaign posters or any other campaign material should not be used in such a way that endangers the lives of people or a way that inconveniences the movement of pedestrians and vehicles.

The Minister has emphasized that COVID-19 is still in the community and it kills. She has continued to remind everyone to put the preventive measures into action like wearing masks all the time when in public, especially during this campaign period.

Graha Details would like to continue encouraging members of the public that if you suspect to have been exposed to COVID-19, please go for a test at a government facility for free.

Let us continue wearing our Masks, washing of hands with soap all the time and maintaining social distancing as well.

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The Electoral Commission has appointed Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd November 2020 as the dates for nomination of candidates for Presidential Elections, 2021.

The nomination exercise will be conducted at Kyambogo University Sports Grounds, starting at 9:00am and ending at 5pm on each of the appointed dates.

The Commission will limit access to the nomination venue, in compliance with Government/Ministry of Health Guidelines and EC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The aspiring candidate, shall be allowed into the nomination venue accompanied by not more than ten (10) persons (including the candidate) and the particulars of persons accompanying the aspirant shall be submitted to the Commission in advance.

Speaking to the media this afternoon the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Justice Simon Byabakama has urged all nominated candidates, their agents, supporters and the general public to carefully observe the guidelines for the 2020/2021 general campaign period.

Justice Byabakama says Campaigns shall be conducted between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm; and in accordance with the harmonized candidates’ campaign programme.

The commission has also warned Candidates and their agents not to use or publish any language or defamatory words, which may incite public disorder, hatred, violence or which threatens war.

Candidates have been advised to identify suitable venues within their constituencies and notify the respective Returning Officers, who will conduct an inspection together with the Police and the District COVID-19 Task-force to ensure that the venue will enable observance of Standard Operating Procedures as advised by the Ministry of Health.

To interact with the electorate, the Electoral Commission has advised candidates and their agents to use non-contact means of communication like fliers, leaflets, brochures, posters, billboards and banners; radio & Tv and talk shows; SMS, and new digital media platforms/ social media and websites time to time.

The Commission has warned Candidates to desist putting posters on road traffic signs or in areas which might be a barrier to ones sight.

Similarly, candidates who use banners have been warned against hanging them on electricity power lines, or in a manner that endangers vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement.

The Electoral Commission Chairperson says that any campaign materials that are wrongly placed will be removed by the relevant Council authorities and Police.

As per the campaign programme which will have been harmonized with the respective Returning Officers, Candidates will also be accepted to use the community-based Public Address Systems (kizindaalo) between 7:00am-9:00am and 4:00pm-6:00pm to interact with their voters.

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Last month, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Byabakama, disclosed to Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs that the body will not nominate people who have inconsistencies in their names.

According to the Registration of Persons Act, 2015, adult persons who changed their names are required to go through the deed poll application, which is a legal process of changing a person’s name provided for in Section 36 of the Act.

“Following presentations from various stakeholders including the Parliament of Uganda on the above subject matter, the Electoral Commission has revised the programme for the nomination of candidates for Parliamentary Elections 2021, from Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th 2020, to Thursday 15th and Friday 16th October 2020.”

The nominations shall be conducted at the respective District/City headquarters across the country, beginning at 9:00am and ending at 5:00pm on each of the appointed dates.

The Electoral Commission has also urged all aspiring candidates in the electoral process to carefully note the changes in the programme and to prepare for nominations in accordance with the guidelines and SOPs issued for the exercise.

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The Electoral Commission is concluding the nomination of candidates for Local Government Councils Elections today, Monday 5th October 2020.

The nomination exercise commenced on 21st September 2020, in all the 146 districts/cities and was scheduled to end on 1st October 2020, but was extended for four more days due to the high number of aspiring candidates who turned up for the nomination and to exercise democracy and rights as enshrined in the Uganda Constitution.

The exercise has seen over 45,127 contesting for elective positions at local government level, which include District/City Chairpersons and their Councilors, Municipality/City Division Chairpersons and their Councilors, and Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons and their Councilors.

The Electoral Commission is set to officially announce the commencement of the campaign period and the polling dates for the Local Government Elections anytime soon, says Paul Bukenya the Spokesperson.

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Government of Uganda has amended the local government Act that had set an age limit to the positions of aspiring candidates for chairperson at Sub-county, Municipality, City Division, Town councils and Municipal Division levels.

Prior to the amendment, any aspiring candidate had to be 30 years and above and not exceeding 75.

There had been complaints from some citizens who wanted to contest as chairpersons at different local government positions however starting with this ongoing electoral process, any aspiring candidate for the position of chairperson at local government level must only be 18 years and above.

Now that the restrictions, no longer exist, I want to call upon all individuals who qualify to go ahead with their plans, said Nabakooba.

Before this announcement, the Electoral Commission had already agreed to extend the nomination exercise from the 2nd October to the 5th October, 2020.

Studies for candidate classes are set to begin on October 15th as per the Ministry of Education guidelines.

Concerning Education, the Minister has urged parents, head teachers and proprietors of schools to follow the given Standard Operating Procedures that are meant to keep children safe from COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education is going to continue updating the schools and parents regarding what we have to do, she added.

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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, Justice Byabakama said.

The list of the demarcated 353 Parliamentary Constituencies has been uploaded on the EC website and gazetted therefore it can be accessed by the general public at anytime of convenience, he added.

The Commission has also undertaken various activities in preparation for the nomination exercise and ultimately the polling for General Elections ahead in 2021.

Accordingly, as at 17th September 2020, and for purposes of the 2020/2021 General Elections, the electoral statistics stand as follows:

1. Number of Districts in Uganda: 146
2. Number of Counties: 312
3. Number of Constituencies: 353
4. Number of Sub Counties/Towns/Municipal Divisions: 2,184
5. Number of Parishes: 10,595
6. Number of Villages: 70,626
7. Number of Polling Stations: 34,344
8. Number of Registered Voters: 17,658,527*

The total Number of males is 8,439,564 [47.79%] and the number of females is 9,218,963 [52.21%] basing on the details of the national voters register.

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