The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Electoral Commission has concluded nominating candidates for Special Interests Groups (SIG) across the country.
According to Paul Bukenya, the deputy spokesperson of the Electoral Commission, the exercise targeted candidates to represent older persons, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and youth at councils and committees at the village/cell level.
The exercise which commenced on July 29th ended on Wednesday at the respective sub county/town council/municipal division headquarters across the country.
According to the revised electoral roadmap, campaigns shall now be conducted starting today August 6 to Monday next week while polling will take place on different dates in all the 68,740 villages across Uganda.
Polling for village older persons committees shall take place on August 11, with a total of 1,701,518 older persons participating. Polling for village PWD committees will take place on August 13, with a total of 382,577 participating while the village youth committees will take place on August 17, with 7,846,373 youths participating.
“The elections shall be conducted by voters lining behind candidates portraits or candidates symbols or candidates agents or the individual candidates of their choice,” Bukenya said. He added that all persons participating in the elections shall be required to comply with guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission per the Ministry of Health measures against the spread of COVID-19.
“These include observing social distancing, hand cleaning, and the wearing of masks,” Bukenya said. According to the revised electoral roadmap, parliamentary candidates are to be nominated in October while the presidential candidates will be nominated in November.
Uganda is expected to go to polls around January 10, 2021. Parties are currently busy identifying flag bearers with the NRM having already nominated President Yoweri Museveni as their sole candidate. If he wins next year’s election, he will have collectively ruled Uganda for 40 years having shot to power in 1986.
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