The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bundibugyo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The election of flag bearers for the National Resistance Movement-NRM in the village women council elections in Bundibugyo and Kasese districts registered a low turnup.
In some of the areas visited by URN, there was a noticeable low turn up with some of the party members in the two districts unaware of the exercise.
Busobozi Agasa, the NRM village registrar of Bundikahungu 5 village in Nyahuka sub county, Bundibugyo district said that the voter turn-up was very low compared to the expected number of women party members in the village.
Busobozi said there are over 200 registered women party members but by voting time, less than 50 had turned up despite the door-to-door mobilization prior to the exercise.
Scola Kabarwani, the chairperson LCI Bundimbele West village in Nyahuka sub county said that many women have openly shunned the exercise on account of not benefiting from the party.
“I reached to women pleading with them to come and participate in the election but they just laughed at me arguing that they have never benefited from any government programs,” Kabarwani said.
Hassan Baguma, the LCIII chairperson Bundibugyo town council attributed the poor participation of women to inadequate time for mobilization and sensitization.
Joseph Kisembo, the deputy NRM district registrar said that during their interactions with some women, they told him that women have not been involved in party activities and found no reason to take part in party primaries.
In Kasese, there was a sizable number of women seen at places designated for the Barraza.
Lillian Masika, an NRM supporter at Base Camp lower says she was unaware of the exercise.
Johnson Kamalha Kalyasa, the Kasese district NRM publicity secretary said they have conducted the election concurrently with the registration of new women party members at the village level.
Kamalha said that many women could have neglected the exercise due to the uncertainty of when the general election will be conducted by the electoral commission.
The women council elections were last held in 2018. According to the National Women Council Act, the terms of office of the councils and committee is four years.
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