23/02/2016: Final Preparations for Local Government Councils Elections

  • Introduction

I welcome you to this briefing, where the Electoral Commission will update you on various matters related to the General Elections 2016.

  • Conclusion of Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

The Electoral Commission congratulates the people of Uganda on exercising their constitutional rights and participating in the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections held on 18th February, 2016.

The Electoral Commission has declared the winning candidates for the Presidential Elections as well as at Parliamentary levels.

However, the Electoral Commission has noted several distortions of information which are circulating in the public concerning the manner in which the results of the Presidential Elections were declared, and wishes to clarify as follows:

 

By law, results for Presidential Elections must be declared within 48 hours from the closure of polls. Accordingly, the results of the election were announced in the order in which they were received, leading to a final declaration by the Electoral Commission, based on the total number of 26,223 polling stations which had been duly received and verified before the expiry of the 48 hours.

It is important to note that the declaration met the legal requirement of Section 57(4) of the Presidential Elections Act, which provides that a candidate shall be declared as President if he/she has obtained more than fifty percent (50%) of the valid votes cast at the election.

The candidate who was declared as winner had obtained more than 50% of the total votes cast at the election. The Commission considered the fact that the difference in votes obtained by the leading candidate and second runner up would not be overturned by the votes from the remaining polling stations, even if all the voters at those polling stations turned up to vote and voted for the second runner up.

Furthermore, some stakeholders have alleged that the Electoral Commission deliberately declined to declare results from areas which support particular candidates, hence putting them at a disadvantage in the final tally.  

This is not true; the Commission did not decline to declare any results that were received at the Tally Center within the period prescribed for the tallying process and declaration of the final result.

The Electoral Commission has since received the results of 27,881 polling stations where elections were held.

The balance of 129 polling stations had their results cancelled due to various malpractices including disruption of the voting process (e.g. in Ggaba, Makindye Division and Kyebando in Wakiso Sub County, Wakiso District), and stations where the turn up of votes cast exceeded total voter population.

  • The final National Summary of Presidential Elections below:

 

Registered Voters:

15,277,198

Total No. of Polling Stations:

28,010

Total No. of Polling Stations Received:

27,881 ( 99.54% of total polling stations)

 

Candidates' Names

Votes

%

 

Abed  Bwanika

89,005

0.90%

of valid votes cast for candidates

Amama  Mbabazi

136,519

1.39%

    "

Baryamureeba  Venansius

52,798

0.54%

    "

Benon  Buta Biraaro

25,600

0.26%

    "

Kizza  Besigye Kifefe

3,508,687

35.61%

    "

Mabirizi  Joseph

24,498

0.25%

    "

Maureen  Faith Kyalya Waluube

42,833

0.43%

    "

Yoweri  Kaguta Museveni

5,971,872

60.62%

    "

 

Valid Votes

9,851,812

   

Invalid Votes

477,319

4.62%

of Total Votes Cast

Total Votes

10,329,131

67.61%

of Registered Voters

Spoilt Votes

29,005

   

A copy of the national summary of the final Presidential Elections results, the district summary tally sheet, and a soft copy of the tally sheet of results per polling station, has been provided to all presidential candidates.

  • Final Preparations for Local Government Councils Elections

The Electoral Commission appointed and gazetted Wednesday 24th February 2016 as the polling date for Chairpersons, Directly Elected Councilors and Women Councilors for District Local Government Councils (LC V).

Elections for the Lord Mayor, Directly Elected Councilors and Women Councilors for Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) will also be held on the same day.

Voting shall be by universal adult suffrage, and shall take place at all polling stations in the country, beginning at 7:00am till 4:00pm.

Thereafter, counting of votes and declaration of results shall take place.

Political parties and independent candidates are encouraged to have a maximum of two agents at each polling station.

Other than observing the exercise, candidates’ agents shall not be expected to interfere with the polling process.

The Commission would like to assure all stakeholders that materials for these elections have been dispatched to the respective districts, and internal distribution is ongoing, to ensure that polling starts on time at all stations across the country.  

The Commission appreciates the Government of Uganda for declaring Wednesday 24th February 2016, as a public holiday. The Commission calls upon all voters to turn up in big numbers and exercise their constitutional right to elect their leaders.

Please note that the elections of councilors for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Older Persons and Youth to District Local Government Councils and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) will be held on 26th February 2016.

These elections shall be by secret ballot, using the members of each respective Electoral College.

Meanwhile the polling dates for other Local Government Councils Elections will be as follows:

 

No.

Elective Position

Polling Date

1.

Chairpersons, Directly Elected Councilors and Women Councilors for Municipality and KCCA Divisions

2nd March 2016

2.

PWDs, Older Persons and Youth Councilors to Municipalities and Kampala Capital City Divisions

4th March 2016

3.

Chairpersons, Directly Elected Councilors and Women Councilors for Municipal Division, Sub County & Town Councils

9th March 2016

4.

PWDs, Older Persons and Youth Councilors to Municipal Division, Sub County and Town Councils

10th March 2016

 

  • Elections of Representatives of Special Interest Groups in Parliament

On Monday 22nd February 2016, the Electoral Commission conducted the election of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to Parliament, and the following candidates were elected:

    Names                 Political Party    Region

  1. Nalule Safia Jjuuko (NRM), National Female PWDs MP

  2. Ndeezi Alex  (NRM),  PWDs MP for Central Region

  3. Katuramu Kiribedda Hood (Independent), PWDs MP for Western Region

  4. Nokrach William Wilson (Independent), PWDs MP for Northern Region

  5. Asamo Hellen Grace(NRM), PWDs MP for Eastern Region

The elections for representatives of the following Special Interest Groups in Parliament will be held on the dates indicated:

 

No.

Special Interest Group

Polling Date

1.

Regional Youth Conferences for Election of Regional Youth MP

28th–29th Feb 2016

2.

National Youth Conference for Election of Female Youth MP

6th – 7th March 2016

3.

Election of Representatives of UPDF in Parliament

3rd March 2016

Please note that the law governing the election of Representatives of Workers to Parliament was amended.

However, some of the new provisions pose operational challenges which require further consultation with stakeholders to implement them, for example, the consideration of non-unionised workers to participate in the elections.

The Electoral Commission will update all stakeholders on the progress of these consultations, and issue guidelines and date(s) for the elections in due course.

  • Appointment of Date for Polling Constituencies where Elections were Suspended

The Electoral Commission has appointed Wednesday 9th March 2016 as the date for polling in the following districts/constituencies where Parliamentary Elections were suspended:

  1. Bufumbira East County MP Kisoro District;

  2. Busiki County MP Namutumba District;

  3. Dokolo South MP Dokolo District;

  4. Kibale County MP Kamwenge District; and,

  5. Kitagwenda County MP Kamwenge District;

  6. Mawogola Constituency South MP Sembabule District;

  7. Woman MP Buyende District;

  8. Woman MP Kween District;

  9. Woman MP Kyegegwa District

  10. Woman MP Yumbe District;

 

I thank you, and wish you peaceful elections,

For God and my Country,

 

Eng. Dr. Badru M. Kiggundu

Chairperson, Electoral Commission

 

Face Mask Required Signs for Businesses, Restaurants and Offices

Wednesday, February 24, 2016