Electoral Programme for By-election of District Woman MP for Moroto District

The vacancy of the District Woman Member of Parliament for Moroto District occurred following the death of the former MP Hon. Annie Logiel. As required by law the statutory deadline for conducting a Parliamentary by-election is sixty (60) days after notification from Clerk to Parliament on the occurrence of the vacancy. The Commission received the notice on 27th February 2017, and therefore, the statutory deadline for holding the by-election is 27th April 2017.

Accordingly, the Electoral Commission has approved the electoral programme for by-election of District Woman Member of Parliament for Moroto District, with the following key activities and dates:

Banning of Fundraising Activities in Moroto District

During this by-election programme, no fundraising activities shall be allowed in Moroto District. The purpose of this ban is to allow a leveled-ground for all candidates in the race.

For avoidance of doubt, this ban takes effect from Monday 20th March 2017, which is the cut-off date for registration of voters and transfer of voting location in Moroto District, and will continue until polling day. Those found to be contravening the law shall be dealt with accordingly.

Stakeholders Meeting: 17th March 2017

The Electoral Commission will hold a stakeholders meeting on Monday 17th March 2017 at Moroto District Headquarters, to discuss any issues of concern that may affect the conduct of the by-election. This meeting will also help to foster collaboration between the Commission and stakeholders in Moroto District, and achieve high participation in the various activities, in accordance with the laws.

The stakeholders who have been invited to the meeting include the district leadership, representatives of political parties and organisations, representatives of civil society organisations, security officials, religious leaders, opinion leaders, sub county supervisors and members of the press.

Update of the National Voters’ Register

Moroto District currently has a total number of 32,229 registered voters and 71 polling stations. An update of the Voters’ Register will be conducted from Thursday 16th - Monday 20th March 2017, at update stations within each of the twenty eight (28) parishes/wards in Moroto District, starting at 8:00am till 6:00pm, on each of the appointed dates, including weekends.

This exercise will enable Ugandan citizens of 18 years and above, who either reside or originate in parishes within Moroto District, and who have not had their photographs and bio-data taken before by the Electoral Commission for purposes of registration for elections, to do so.

All registered voters who wish to transfer to new voting locations shall be able to do so during this update exercise.

The Electoral Commission has appointed 20th March 2017 as the cut-off date for registration and/or transfer of voting location in Moroto District.

Display of the Voters’ Register

The Electoral Commission has appointed Monday 3rd April – Wednesday 12th April 2017, as the period for display of the National Voters’ Register in Moroto District.

The display of the Voters’ Register shall begin at 8:00am and end at 6:00pm at all polling stations in the district, on each of the appointed dates, including weekends.

During the display, voters are urged to turn up in large numbers and check for the correctness of their particulars, and confirm that photographs appear against correct particulars.

Voters are further urged to report to the display officer: the dead, the non-citizens, the under-aged, and those who belong to another Parish/Ward, so that they are removed from the Register.

There will be a display of lists of persons recommended for deletion from the Register for a period of six (6) days, from Thursday 13th – Tuesday 18th April 2017, at the respective parish/ward headquarters.

The purpose of this supplementary display is to enable any person who may have been wrongly recommended for deletion to raise an objection to the Parish Tribunal.

The Parish Tribunal may reinstate the person if convinced of the genuineness of the objection.

Nomination of Candidates, Inspection of Nomination Papers, Campaigns & Polling

The nomination of candidates shall be conducted on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th April 2017 at the Office of the Returning Officer in Moroto Municipality.

The nomination will be followed by a period of six (6) days, that is, from Thursday 6th –Tuesday 11th April 2017, during which members of the general public will have access to the candidates’ nomination papers, and will be able to lodge complaints, if any, on suitability of the candidates to contest in the by-election.

Campaign meetings shall be held for a period of sixteen (16) days, that is, from Monday 10th April until Tuesday 25th April 2017.

The campaign meetings or public rallies shall be conducted only within the stipulated time, that is, from 7:00am until 6:00pm on each of the campaign days.

All candidates are urged to observe law and order during this exercise and to conduct their campaign meetings in accordance with the harmonized programme. Hate language will not be tolerated at all.

Polling shall take place on Wednesday 26th April 2017 at all polling stations in Moroto District, and (polling) shall start at 7:00am and close at 4:00pm.

Compliance with the Law

The Commission urges all aspiring candidates and stakeholders to acquaint themselves with the relevant laws, in order to appreciate their respective roles and responsibilities before, during and after the by-election.

Accreditation of Election Observers

Section 16 (1) (a) of the Electoral Commission (Amendment) Act, provides for accreditation of representatives of political parties, civil society organisations and any other duly registered institution, to observe electoral activities.

For purposes of transparency, the Electoral Commission shall accredit observers to the various activities which will be undertaken during this electoral process. Accordingly the Commission invites written expressions of interest from political parties, individuals and duly registered organisations and institutions who wish to observe the said processes.

Interested political parties, individuals, organisations and institutions should submit their applications with two (2) recent passport photos to the Office of the Chairperson, Electoral Commission, Plot 55, Jinja Road, Kampala, P.O. Box 22678 Kampala, or to the Office of the District Returning Officer not later than 19th April 2017.

Please note that political parties and independent candidates shall be permitted to deploy not more than five (5) observers per sub-county, and two (2) persons at the Results Tally Center.

The Commission shall accredit election observers from 12th April – 25th April 2017, and shall provide all those accredited with identification tags for the purpose of observing the various activities of the electoral process.

Please note that media personnel will be required to present valid identification cards from their media houses in order to access polling stations and the Results Tally Center.

Any individuals purporting to perform duties of or act as an observer or agent without due accreditation, will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. 

The Commission urges all the various stakeholders in these electoral areas to turn up in large numbers and participate in this programme, and to do so in accordance with the guidelines for each activity. This will ensure a smooth electoral exercise.

Progress of Programme for By-elections of Member of Parliament for Aruu North County, Pader District, and Member of Parliament for Kamuli Municipality, Kamuli District  

The Electoral Commission is implementing the electoral programme for by-election of Member of Parliament for Aruu North County, in Pader District and Kamuli Municipality in Kamuli District, and has issued guidelines for the various activities to be undertaken during the by-election process.

We call upon stakeholders in the above constituencies to conduct themselves in accordance with the guidelines for the elections. This will ensure smooth conduct of the electoral programme.

For God and my Country,

Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon

Chairperson, Electoral Commission

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Thursday, March 2, 2017