Nancy Kalembe wants EC funding to presidential candidates reinstated

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The former presidential candidate Nancy Kalembe has asked Parliament to reinstate the government facilitation for campaigns of presidential candidates. 

The facilitation which included 20 Million Shillings and a car to each presidential candidate was scrapped in 2015 following the decision by Parliament to amend the Presidential Elections Amendment Bill 2015.  

Appearing before the Human Rights Committee of parliament on Wednesday, Kalembe who garnered 38,772 votes says that she faced difficulties during the campaigns due to inadequate funds. 

Kalembe says that Parliament should not have scrapped the facilitation yet the incumbent uses state resources to traverse the country during the campaigns.  

Kalembe also told members of the committee that she always provided food to the Electoral Commission guards. She however questioned the delays in paying their allowances.

Although Kalembe had doubts about the outcome of the probe, the acting committee chairperson George Ouma Abbot said the committee would do their best to present the recommendations to Parliament.

Sylvia Rwabwogo, the Kabarole Woman MP hailed Kalembe for contesting saying that she surely made the women proud. She, however, asked her not to lose hope in the committee as they would do their work. 

The committee was set up by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga in February to probe rights violations during the January general polls across the country.

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