EC offers free Covid tests for journalists and presidential aspirants

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The electoral commission has today conducted free covid-19 testing for all journalists, politicians and other service providers wishing to take part in next week’s presidential nomination exercise.

Several members of the media fraternity took part in the exercise at the EC offices along Jinja road in Kampala together with members from the different security agencies, EC employees, presidential aspirants and members of their teams with whom they will appear at the nomination center next week.

Haj Mustapha Ssebaggala one of the EC commissioners told Journalists that the offer came as a result of complaints from several politicians and media houses saying that they don’t have money to pay for the Covid-19 tests yet EC wants everybody to have a covid-19 certificate on the days of nomination.

The EC spokesperson Paul Bukenya added that they decided to meet these costs to prevent unnecessary excuses from the stakeholders, but also to ensure that all standard operating procedures are followed as per the EC roadmap. 

Meanwhile the electoral commission has today received endorsement signatures from the democratic party- DP presidential candidate Norbert Mao bringing the total number of aspirants who have returned the files to 23 

Paul Bukenya the EC spokesperson told Journalists the number of aspirants whose signatures have already been verified and cleared for nomination remains 10 as they continue looking into others who submitted them including Mao. 

The EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama reiterated EC’s previous reasoning that it was prudent and fair to both EC and the candidates to return the signatures before nomination day to avoid inconveniences at the final hour of nomination. 

********

URN