Electoral Commission announces Presidential and MPs nomination dates

Simon Byabakama Photo: Courtesy

The Electoral Commission acting spokesperson Paul Bukenya, has revealed that presidential candidates will be nominated on November 02 and 03,while Members of Parliament will be nominated between October 12 and 13, this year.

He also communicated that nomination of candidates for Local Government elections will be done between September 21 and October 1, this year.

As earlier communicated by the chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in June Justice Simon Byabakama, that public rallies will not be allowed except media campaigns to avoid the spread of Covid19, Bukenya has also clarified on the same issue.

“All campaigns should be conducted in that manner (through media) because some of our political leaders are undisciplined. The safest way is to say no to public gatherings. The Commission will issue specific guidelines for each electoral activity under the revised road map in the due course and it will engage with various stakeholders on the same.” Bukenya said.

“This includes detailed information on specific requirements for nomination as a candidate, access to nomination forms, nomination fees and venues and conduct of campaigns and polling process.” he added.

The EC chairman Simon Byabakama, promised to engage all responsible stakeholders, so that nominated candidates can have their campaigns done in a peaceful manner.

“This is a national process and these measures should be effected without any hindrance. As of now we don’t have any candidate and they will only emerge after nominations. We have ample time to engage with all these actors to have a free and fair process,” Byabakama said.

Byabakama said that all candidates have a right to free space on government-owned media,and they[EC] would engage the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in regards private media.

The EC boss added that they will issue specific guidelines for each electoral activity. He said that this will include a detailed information on specific requirements for nomination as a candidate, access to nomination forms, nomination fees and venues and conduct of campaigns and polling process.

He encouraged the candidates to observe health guidelines for safety of citizens, especially during the time of campaigns and they should follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so that the citizens can stay safe and free from corona virus.

Samuel Kamugisha

Samuel Kamugisha is a Ugandan journalist, editor, language instructor, poet, fiction and non-fiction writer. A Makerere University graduate of Journalism and Communication with a decade-long experience in news reporting, writing and editing, Kamugisha is Editor at The Pearl Times. Most of his previous work was published by The Observer. When he is not doing journalism work -- which is rare -- Kamugisha will be reading or writing a short story or a poem, or caught up in the writer's block.