By Nasser Kasozi Akandawanaho
The Electoral Commission (EC) will tomorrow commence the registration of women. The exercise is aimed at updating the voter register ahead of the upcoming women councils and committees elections.
At least 84,138 election officials have been deployed to the various stages of elections including villages, parishes and sub-county level where the elections will be conducted beginning July 7.
According to Mr. Paul Bukenya, the EC spokesperson, said the officials finalized their training yesterday at different EC regional offices before they headed to the field for the four-day exercise.
“This is one of the most technical steps of an election because we have to know the total number of women who are going for the election.
Although we have the number of women that participated in the general elections, we are aware that there are those that have made it to the voting age between then and now,” Mr Bukenya said.
The current EC programme shows that the compilation of village women’s register will be done between June 10 and 13. This will be followed by the display of the women’s register at the village level between June 23 and 24, nomination of candidates at the sub-county headquarters will take place on June 27 and July 1.
Candidates’ campaigns for election of the village women committee will take place between July 4 and 6 and polling day for a five member committee will be on July 7.
Women Elections
Elective positions
1. Chairperson
2. Vice chairperson
3. Secretary
4. Publicity secretary
5. Secretary for finance
At least 9.5 million women who registered for the last elections, are expected to participate in the women elections but the number may increase or decrease depending on the outcome of the registration exercise, according to the EC.
According to the guidelines released by the EC last week, ex-officials will not be allowed to participate in the elections and women councils shall consist of people who are 18 years and above and are citizens, ordinary residents in the respective villages and are willing to be members to the village council.
Most of the political parties that this reporter contacted yesterday expressed readiness for the election, although others decried lack of funds for the exercise.
Ms Alice Alaso, the head of administration at the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party, said: “We have sent out the information to our district and regional coordinators. However, these are going to face a challenge of funding the whole process. We are, however, willing to participate and we shall do what we can.”
Mr Waiswa Mufumbiro, the deputy spokesperson of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, said: “We have been rolling out our teams and encouraging them to vote despite the fact that EC sometimes does not respect figures from their own officials at village level, but we are ready.”
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