By Hadija Musa
The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has issued tough electoral guidelines ahead of the party primary elections slated for Friday 4th September 2020.
The guidelines were issued by the chairperson NRM Electoral Commission, Dr. Tanga Odoi at the part head offices in Kampala,
Dr.Tanga Odoi told the press that the Friday 4th Sept NRM elections are for party flag bearers for position of constituency MPs and District woman representatives there we believe that the new electoral guidelines, will help build cohesion among party members within the electoral programme and even after.
“The exercise will be in 151 NRM districts, 351 constituencies and 69,075 villages which are also the NRM polling stations” Tanga said.
Dr. Tanga said that, the mode of election this time in NRM shall be by lining up using ‘Universal Adult Suffrage’ where all NRM members who appear in the NRM voters register will be allowed to vote,” the party electoral commission stated in the guidelines.
He added that the Party Electoral Commission also prescribed the procedures that will be followed in adhering to the SOPs and safeguarding the masses from Covid-19 infections.
Dr.Tanga adds that during the electoral programme all NRM officers are supposed to follow strict observance of Standard Operating Procedures [SOPs] as laid out by Ministry of Health in the fight against Covid-19.
He said that the polling station shall be set up in an open place (not indoors) with good air circulation, according to the guidelines.
The party electoral commission also asked all persons who report to the polling station (election officials and electorate) to observe measures like hand washing, social distancing and wearing of facemasks.
“No handshaking/hugging is allowed. All persons should disperse back to their homes immediately after the polling process,” it added.
The party was also concerned about the likely violence and indicated that measures had been devised to counter it.
“The commission’s department of research has made a scan of the entire country and made a detection of early election violence in several areas including but not limited to Sembabule, Mityana, Hoima, Kashongi constituency in Kiruhura, Kazo,” the document reads.
Other districts where the commission fears violence may spark include Sheema, Bushenyi, Koboko, Kasanda, Tororo, Busia, and Kakumiro. The party’s electoral commission warned “that any candidate who is got engaging in electoral violence will be disqualified.”
It is stated that the commission has written to security informing them about the forthcoming electoral process and requested them to provide the commission with security.
The
Commission also requested the district security teams such as the Resident
District Commission and district police to provide security for the exercise to
be successful.
The party said it is currently in the process of displaying the voters
register.
“The commission would like to inform all NRM candidates and entire NRM electorate that the register shall be used as is. As such; there shall be no addition and deletion of names during the display of the NRM voters register,” the guidelines showed.
“All NRM members whose names get added during display of the register will not be allowed to vote in NRM primaries. All NRM members whose names get deleted during display of the register will be allowed to vote in NRM primaries,” it added.
