Ahead of next year’s general election, the Electoral Commission of Uganda has said it will use a biometric system – a system that uses human body characteristics to determine identity – to update its voters register.
Spokesman for the Electoral Commission, Jotham Taremwa. Also denying reports that the electoral commission lacks funds needed to organize the elections within the next 10 months, Taremwa says the electoral body needs about $90,000,000 to organize the elections. The government has disbursed $67,000,000 but has yet to release the rest of the funds.
Some opposition politicians expressed worry that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) could use the lack of funds to rig the election to ensure incumbent President Yoweri Museveni wins the presidential vote, but the Electoral Commission disagrees. Opposition political parties continue to demand for electoral reforms after accusing the electoral commission of bias and favouritism to candidates of the ruling NRM.
They are also demanding a complete overhaul of the electoral register used for the elections
ElectionsinUgandaFACTSFILE:
- The National Resistance Movement (NRM), is Uganda’s ruling political party, which began as the political body associated with the rebel National Resistance Army
- TheNRMdominatesparliament
- Museveni came to power in 1986. He won the presidential elections of 12 March 2001 with 69.3 per cent of the popular vote
- On November 17, 2005, Museveni was elected unopposed as NRMs presidential candidate for the 2006 elections, which he won by 59.3 per cent of the vote
- Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada,endinghisrulein1979
- Untilareferendumin2005,Ugandaheldelectionsona non-party basis
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