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VOTER EDUCATION: Full list of election offences

Electoral Commission officials at a polling station. INDEPENDENT /JIMMY SIY

📌 Election offences and penalties

✳ Voting on behalf of another person (living or dead) ▶ Prison 5 years
✳ Preventing a person from voting  ▶ Fine sh100,000
✳ Voting more than once is an offence and on conviction ▶ Fine sh500,000
✳ Refusing to have one’s fingers to be inspected ▶ Fine sh100,000
✳ Election official wrongly counting vote ▶  Fine sh500,000

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There are various offences that can be committed by both election officials and stakeholders, during elections.

A handout released by the Electoral Commission last years highlights the offences, quoting from the Presidential Elections Act 2005, as amended, Parliamentary Elections Act 2005, as amended, Electoral Commissions Act Cap 140 and the Local Government Act Cap 243

For example, any Election Officer who knowingly counts a ballot paper in favor of the
candidate for whom it was not cast, commits an offence. On conviction a
person is liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000/= (Five hundred thousand
shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.

For the electorate, voting on behalf of another person (living or dead) is an offence and on conviction one is liable to imprisonment of five years (without option of a
fine).

📌 Other election offences and illegal practices outline in a handbook for voters are:

******

Election Officials should note the following:

â–¶ When an Election Officer, an Agent or Observer, at any polling station, assists any voter with a disability, he/she commits an offence.
â–¶ Failure by the Presiding Officer to submit voting results is an offence and the offender is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 100,000/= (One hundred thousand shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both.
â–¶ Preventing a person from voting is an offence and anyone who commits the offence of obstruction is liable to a fine of 200,000/= (Two hundred thousand shillings) or imprisonment for two years.
â–¶ Any Election Officer who knowingly counts a ballot paper in favor of the candidate for whom it was not cast, commits an offence. On conviction a person is liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000/= (Five hundred thousand shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.

Offences by stakeholders

â–¶ Pretending to have a disability is an offence and any person who commits
this offence is liable to a fine not exceeding l00,000/= (One hundred
thousand shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.
▶ Assisting a voter without authority is an offence and the offender will
on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 200,000/= (Two hundred
thousand shillings) or two years imprisonment or both.
â–¶ Voting more than once is an offence and on conviction a person is liable
to a fine not exceeding 500,000/= (Five hundred thousand shillings) or to
imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.

MORE
▶ Refusing to have one’s fingers to be inspected is an offence and the offender
is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 200,000/ (Two hundred thousand shillings) or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.
â–¶ Voting on behalf of another person (living or dead) is an offence and on
conviction one is liable to imprisonment of five years (without option of a
fine).
â–¶ Selling alcohol within four hundred metres of any polling station is an
offence and any person who commits this offence is liable on conviction
to a fine not exceeding 200,000/= (Two hundred thousand shillings) or
imprisonment not exceeding twelve months or both.
â–¶ Any person who arms himself or herself during any part of polling day
with any arms or ammunition without lawful authority commits an offence
and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 200,000/= (Two
hundred thousand shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding two years or
both.
â–¶ Preventing a person from voting is an offence and anyone who commits
the offence of obstruction is liable to a fine of 200,000/= (Two hundred
thousand shillings) or imprisonment for two years.

 VOTER EDUCATION HANDBOOK (click HERE to read online)

Uganda Voter Education Hand… by The Independent Magazine

 The PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ACT, 2005 (click HERE to read online)

Uganda’s Presidential E… by The Independent Magazine

📌 PRESIDENTS HISTORY UGANDA
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Elected Term of office Political party Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Mutesa II of Buganda.jpg Edward Mutesa
(1924–1969)
1963 9 October 1963 2 March 1966
(deposed.)
2 years, 144 days Kabaka Yekka Obote
2 Obote cropped.png Milton Obote
(1925–2005)
— 2 March 1966 15 April 1966 44 days Uganda People’s Congress Himself
15 April 1966 25 January 1971
(deposed.)
4 years, 285 days Position abolished

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Military Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
3 Idi Amin -Archives New Zealand AAWV 23583, KIRK1, 5(B), R23930288.jpg Idi Amin
(1925–2003)
25 January 1971 11 April 1979
(deposed.)
8 years, 76 days Ugandan Armed Forces Position abolished

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Elected Term of office Political party Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
4 No image.png Yusuf Lule
(1912–1985)
— 13 April 1979 20 June 1979
(deposed.)
68 days Independent
(UNLF)
Position abolished
5 No image.png Godfrey Binaisa
(1920–2010)
— 20 June 1979 12 May 1980
(deposed.)
327 days Uganda People’s Congress
(UNLF)
6 No image.png Paulo Muwanga
(1921–1991)
— 12 May 1980 22 May 1980
(resigned.)
10 days Uganda People’s Congress
(UNLF)
— Presidential Commission — 22 May 1980 15 December 1980 207 days —
(2) Obote cropped.png Milton Obote
(1925–2005)
1980 17 December 1980 27 July 1985
(deposed.)
4 years, 222 days Uganda People’s Congress Allimadi

 

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Military Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
7 No image.png General Bazilio Olara-Okello
(1929–1990)
27 July 1985 29 July 1985
(resigned.)
2 days Ugandan Armed Forces Position vacant
8 No image.png General Tito Okello
(1914–1996)
29 July 1985 26 January 1986
(deposed.)
181 days Ugandan Armed Forces Muwanga
Waligo
 
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Elected Term of office Political party Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
9 Yoweri Museveni September 2015.jpg Yoweri Museveni
(1944–)
1996
2001
2006
2011
2016
26 January 1986 Incumbent 34 years, 341 days National Resistance Movement Kisekka
Adyebo
Musoke
Nsibambi
Mbabazi
Rugunda

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Head(s) of state
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Obote cropped.png Milton Obote
(1925–2005)
9 October 1962 15 April 1966 3 years, 188 days Uganda People’s Congress Elizabeth II
Mutesa
Himself
Post abolished (15 April 1966 – 18 December 1980)
2 No image.png Otema Allimadi
(1929–2001)
18 December 1980 27 July 1985
(deposed.)
4 years, 221 days Uganda People’s Congress Obote
3 No image.png Paulo Muwanga
(1921–1991)
1 August 1985 25 August 1985 24 days Independent Okello
4 No image.png Abraham Waligo
(1928–2000)
25 August 1985 26 January 1986
(deposed.)
154 days Independent Okello
5 No image.png Samson Kisekka
(1912–1999)
30 January 1986 22 January 1991 4 years, 357 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
6 No image.png George Cosmas Adyebo
(1947–2000)
22 January 1991 18 November 1994 3 years, 300 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
7 No image.png Kintu Musoke
(1938–)
18 November 1994 5 April 1999 4 years, 138 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
8 Apolo Nsibambi (cropped).jpg Apolo Nsibambi
(1940–2019)
5 April 1999 24 May 2011 12 years, 49 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
9 Amama Mbabazi.jpg Amama Mbabazi
(1949–)
24 May 2011 18 September 2014 3 years, 117 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
10 Ruhakana Rugunda.jpg Ruhakana Rugunda
(1947–)
18 September 2014 Incumbent 6 years, 109 days National Resistance Movement Museveni
 

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