Mukono residents yet to receive voter location slips

Mukono, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Mukono district have criticized the Electoral Commission-EC for the delayed issuance of voter location slips in the area. 

To help voters locate their polling stations, the Electoral Commission-EC embarked on the countrywide distribution of the Voter Location Slips to every registered voter late last week.  The slips include the name, photo, date of birth and polling station of the voter. 

Some residents in Mukono argue that they may fail to locate their polling stations on the polling day following the creation of new administrative units in the districts which led to the establishment of new polling stations.  

In Mukono, five town councils were gazetted including Katosi, Kasawo, Ntenjeru-Kisoga, Namataba and Nakifuma-Naggalama town council. These led to the creation of new polling stations at over 100 newly created villages.

Ronald Ssenabulya a resident at Mukono municipality says slips should be availed to voters to avoid chaos on the Election Day. He notes that several residents in Mukono have checked for their locations using smartphones and found their names placed in other polling stations. He wonders what will happen to others in remote areas where there is limited access to mobile phones.

“We heard from the EC at the national level that slips were sent but here in Mukono nothing has been delivered” 

Another resident Mackson Opee says EC should ensure delivery of slips to help voters know their polling stations rather than waste time moving from one polling to another on polling day. 

The Mukono District Elections Officer Mark Muganzi Mayanja appeals to residents to remain calm. He notes that they have trained several villages’ officers who will ensure that they reach to all voters in the district on time. 

The Executive Director for Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda- CCEDU Charity Ahimbisibwe appeals to the EC to ensure timely distribution of voter location slips to save voters from meandering on polling stations looking for their names instead of casting their votes to ease the process. 

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