The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The dates for the nomination of Presidential and Parliamentary candidates have been extended to early October. The Electoral Commission had in it’s earlier roadmap set the nomination of presidential candidates for August 12, 2020, and Parliamentary nominations for August 20, 2020.
But The Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama says that the Commission has now revised the dates to October 1-2, for presidential candidates and October 7-8 for Parliamentary candidates.
However, EC has maintained the nomination date for village Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Committees candidates for April 6 to 10, 2020 and nomination of candidates for Local Government Councils for July 27-28, 2020.
Justice Byabakama announced the changes during a meeting with the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of parliament this morning. Last week, a similar meeting proposed adjustments to the 2021 general elections road map on ground that the long campaign period has financial implications on the candidates.
The MPs sought a review of the road map to reduce the campaign period. Nominations for the last 2016 general elections were held between September and November 2015.
Following the revision, Committee Chairperson Jacob Oboth said that the new adjustment in the nomination dates is welcome and sensitive to the stakeholders. He said that a long campaign period would paralyze government.
The EC is mandated by the Constitution to design and publicize a roadmap to guide all stakeholders in the preparation for the general election. The Commission is also required to hold presidential, parliamentary and local government council elections within the first 30 days of the last 112 days before the expiration of the term of office. The current term of office for the President, Parliament and Local Government Councils expire on May 12, 2021.
Now, according to EC, campaigns are scheduled immediately after the nomination exercise and close on January 8, 2021. Polling days for the 2021 general election are scheduled between January 10 and February 8, 2021.
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