The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Resistance Movement party is enjoying a tide in its favour as Special Interest Groups finalize arrangements to vote for representatives in Luweero district. Several candidates have sailed through the race unopposed while other councillor seats are contested by National Resistance Movement candidates giving the party another chance to recapture the Luweero district council.
According to the Electoral Commission roadmap, Wednesday January 27 is the polling date for councillors representing Persons with Disabilities, Older Persons, Youths and Workers at district councils. But there is little competition because many candidates are unopposed, and opposition parties failed to field candidates.
The unopposed councillors in Luweero include Issa Kalalike, a representative for male youths, Joseph Serugo for the male older persons, Rehema Kaaya for the female older persons and Ssuuna Mulema, the male district councillor.
Nathan Nabaasa, the Luwero district returning officer says that the elections are between Deborah Nalubega, an NRM leaning independent candidate and Nusurah Nanyanzi, the NRM candidate for the PWD district councillor’s seat. Others are Amina Hassan (NRM) and Fatumah Nakalyango, who are contesting for the female youths councillor’s position.
Jamil Jjuuko, another NRM candidate will face off with Amos Nayepe, an NRM leaning independent candidate for the male worker’s slot while Christine Nakamanya (NRM) is being challenged by Flavia Namatovu.
If NRM wins all the SIGs elections tomorrow, it will record a jump from five to 12 councillor seats at the district council to overtake NUP which got 11 councillors in general council elections. Nine others will be Independent candidates majority of whom are NRM leaning and three already elected on the FDC ticket.
David Kamugisha, the Luwero district NRM registrar says that the party candidates dominate the races because other political parties didn’t participate in lower SIGs elections to enable them field candidates at higher positions. Kamugisha brags that NRM is also strong among the SIGs making it difficult for any other candidates to be voted even if he or she is nominated.
But Robert Sserwanga, a PWD in Luwero town says that the guidelines for elections for special Interest Groups should be revised to promote inclusivity of all persons in the categories. Sserwanga explains that the PWD elections have been dominated by a few people who don’t share news about elections.
Sserwanga wants laws amended so that all PWDs are free to converge and vote for all leaders without electoral colleges.
Bernard Ssemakula, the chairperson of Luwero district Persons with Disabilities Committee says that it’s unfair for a few delegates to vote on behalf of others whom they don’t even consult before making decisions. Ssemakula adds that the elections can easily be manipulated by incumbents who have resources to bribe the delegates to vote them.
Erustus Kibirango, the newly elected LC V chairperson of Luwero district says that the National Unity Platform failed to field candidates because it was still taking root by the time youths elections started from village councils. Kibirango added that even the few who were identified feared to contest on the seats citing monetization of the electoral process.
Kibirango adds that the framers of the law never envisaged that the electoral colleges could be manipulated, adding that it’s now time to revise the guidelines for everyone to benefit in the representation. NRM has also dominated all races for Special Interest Groups in Nakasongola and Nakaseke with no single opposition candidate fielded there.
Recently, Israel Mayengo, the former Buganda Minister who contested and lost in the elections for the Member of Parliament seat for older persons in the central region told URN that elections were a sham and an NRM’s party affair where no other candidate can win.
“There is no way that Elder Committees from the entire region can have members of one party and if that happens you must accept there is a fraud” Mayengo said.
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