Electoral Commission of Uganda

Last updated
Electoral Commission
Agency overview
Formed1997;27 years ago (1997)
Jurisdiction Uganda
Headquarters Kampala
Agency executive
Website Homepage

The Electoral Commission of Uganda, also Uganda Electoral Commission, is a constitutionally established organ of the Government of Uganda, whose mandate is to "organise and conduct regular, free and fair elections" in the country, in an efficient, professional and impartial manner. [1]

Contents

Location

The Electoral Commission maintains its headquarters at 55 Jinja Road, in the Central Division of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. [2] The coordinates of the headquarters of the Uganda Electoral Commission are:0°19'00.0"N, 32°35'39.0"E (Latitude:0.316675; Longitude:32.594154). [3]

History

The law that led to establishment of the electoral commission was promulgated in 1997. The first Electoral commission served from 1997 until 2002. The current commission came into office in 2016 for a seven-year term, renewable once only. This commission headed by Justice of the High Court, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, replaces that which was headed by Engineer Badru Kiggundu that served two terms (2002–2009 and 2009–2016). Other commissioners include Hajjat Aisha Lubega (vice chairperson) and commissioners Peter Emorut, Steven Tashobya, Justine Ahabwe Mugabi, Nathaline Etomaru and Mustapha Ssebaggala Kigozi. During their first year in office, they organised and supervised by-elections. The first nationwide election that they are expected to organise is the election of the Local Council leaders. As of April 2018, those were being delayed by lack of sufficient funds. [4]

Commissioners

The following are the current commissioners (2016–2022) [5] The new team was sworn in on 17 January 2017. [6]

  1. Simon Mugenyi Byabakama: Chairperson
  2. Hajjat Aisha Lubega: Deputy Chairperson
  3. Peter Emorut: Commissioner
  4. Justine Ahabwe Mugabi: Commissioner
  5. Stephen Tashobya: Commissioner
  6. Mustapha Ssebagala Kigozi: Commissioner
  7. Nathaline Etomaru: Commissioner

Controversy

The Electoral Commission has repeatedly been accused of not being impartial. In the Presidential Elections of 2021 there were 409 polling stations with a 100% turnout, all of which were won by President Museveni. [7] Election forms (so-called Declaration of Results) have been altered at the advantage of president Museveni in a way that the Electoral Commission has not been able to explain. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Uganda</span>

The Uganda Electoral Commission (EC) provides national elections for a president and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term. The Parliament is composed of members directly elected to represent constituencies, and one woman representative for every district; as well representatives of special interest groups, including the army, youth, workers and persons with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Entebbe–Kampala Expressway</span> Road in Uganda

The Entebbe–Kampala Expressway, also known as the "Kampala–Entebbe Expressway" or the "Entebbe–Kampala Highway", is a four-lane toll highway in the Central Region of Uganda. The highway links Entebbe International Airport, the country's largest civilian and military airport, to Kampala, the country's capital and largest metropolitan area. Originally, the highway was planned for commissioning in 2016, but because of the delayed works, commissioning was done on 15 June 2018 by Uganda's sitting president, Yoweri Museveni. In January 2023, the Uganda Minister for Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala launched the toll point at Kajjansi along Kampala–Entebbe Road.

Barbara Nekesa Oundo is a Ugandan politician and diplomat, who serves as Uganda's High Commissioner to South Africa, based in Pretoria. In that capacity, she also represents her country, to the nations of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Works and Transport (Uganda)</span>

The Ministry of Works and Transport is a Cabinet level government ministry of Uganda, that is mandated to plan, develop and maintain an economic, efficient and effective transport infrastructure, and transport services by road, rail, water, and air. The ministry is also mandated to manage public works including government structures and promote standards in the construction industry. The ministry is headed by a Cabinet Minister. The current Minister of Works and Transport is Katumba Wamala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Ugandan general election</span>

General elections were held in Uganda on 18 February 2016 to elect the President and Parliament. Polling day was declared a national holiday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Health (Uganda)</span> Government ministry of Uganda

The Ministry of Health is a cabinet-level government ministry of Uganda. It is responsible for planning, delivering, and maintaining an efficient and effective healthcare delivery system, including preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services, in a humane, affordable, and sustainable manner. The ministry is headed by Minister of Health Jane Aceng.

Kassiano Ezati Wadri is a Ugandan social worker and politician. He is the incumbent independent Member of Parliament, representing Arua Municipality in the 10th Parliament, effective 29 August 2018. The seat fell vacant when Ibrahim Abiriga of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), was assassinated in June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court of Appeal of Uganda</span>

The Court of Appeal of Uganda is the second-highest judicial organ in Uganda. It derives its powers from Article 134 of the 1995 Constitution. It is an appellate court when hearing cases appealed from the High Court of Uganda. However, it has original jurisdiction when adjudicating matters relating to the constitutionality of matters before it. All judgments by the Court of Appeal are theoretically appealable to the Supreme Court of Uganda, if the Supreme Court decides to hear the appeal.

Simon Mugenyi Byabakama is a Ugandan lawyer and judge, on the Court of Appeal of Uganda, which doubles as the country's Constitutional Court. He was appointed to the court of appeal on 11 October 2015.

Monica Kalyegira Mugenyi is a Ugandan lawyer and judge, who on 17 January 2024 was appointed as a member of the Supreme Court of Uganda.

Jane Kiggundu, is a Ugandan lawyer and judge on the High Court of Uganda. She was appointed to that court by president Yoweri Museveni, in May 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Court of Uganda</span> Third-highest court in Uganda

The High Court of Uganda, also Uganda High Court, is the third-highest judicial organ in Uganda, behind the Supreme Court of Uganda and the Court of Appeal of Uganda. It has "unlimited original jurisdiction", with powers to try any case of any value or crime of any magnitude. It is also mandated to hear all appeals from all Magistrates Courts. High Court judgements are appealable to the Uganda Court of Appeal.

Andrew Byabashaija is a Ugandan lawyer and judge on the High Court of Uganda. He was appointed to that court by president Yoweri Museveni on 17 June 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lydia Mugambe</span> Ugandan lawyer; judge and Inspector General of Government(IGG)

Lydia Mugambe, is a Ugandan lawyer who served as judge at the High Court of Uganda between May 2013 and September 2020. She was appointed to the High Court by President Yoweri Museveni, on 3 May 2013. Lady Justice Mugambe Ssali was subsequently appointed by President Museveni as Inspector General of Government on 18 September 2020

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badru Kiggundu</span>

Badru Malimbo Kiggundu is a Ugandan civil engineer, academic and consultant, who serves as the chairman of the presidential select committee responsible for the supervision of the successful completion of both Isimba Hydroelectric Power Station and Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station. He was appointed to that position by Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda in August 2016. He concurrently serves as the Chairman of the board of directors of National Water and Sewerage Corporation. He was appointed to that position on 20 July 2020, replacing Christopher Ebal, whose contract expired.

Flavia Anglin Senoga, also Flavia Senoga Anglin, is a Ugandan lawyer and judge on the High Court of Uganda. She was appointed to that court by president Yoweri Museveni, on 14 March 2011.

Anna Bitature Mugenyi, is a Ugandan justice of the High Court of Uganda, since May 2016.

The Uganda Land Commission (ULC) is a semi-autonomous land verification, monitoring, and preservation organisation, owned by the Ugandan government, that is mandated to document, verify, preserve, and maintain land owned and/or administered by the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aisha Sekindi</span> Ugandan Legislator

Aisha Sekindi is a Ugandan educator and legislator. As of February 2022, she serves as Uganda's Minister of State for Water and the woman representative for Kalungu district in Uganda's eleventh parliament. She replaced Hon. Ronald Kibuule who handed over the office in July 2021. She held the same position in Uganda's tenth parliament. Politically, she is affiliated to the National Resistance Movement under whose ticket she contested in the 2016 general election, achieving victory over Aisha Naluyati Waligo of the Democratic Party Uganda (DP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Ugandan general election</span>

General elections were held in Uganda on 14 January 2021 to elect the President and the Parliament. The Electoral Commission announced Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent ruling since 1986, as the winner with 58.64% of the votes although the U.S. State Department qualified the electoral process as "fundamentally flawed" and Africa Elections Watch said they observed irregularities. The official voter turnout was 57% but is questioned since 409 polling stations have been announced to have 100% voter turnout.

References

  1. UCU (5 August 2016). "Mission, Vision and Goal". Uganda: Electoral Commission of Uganda (ECU). Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. ECU (6 August 2015), Uganda Electoral Commission: Head Office, Kampala: Electoral Commission of Uganda (ECU), retrieved 6 August 2015
  3. "Location of the Headquarters of the Electoral Commission of Uganda" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  4. Nabwiso, Samuel (17 April 2018). "Uganda's EC seeks Ushs7bn for local council elections". East African Business Week . Kampala. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  5. Kafeero, Stephen (18 November 2018). "Justice Simon Byabakama replaces Kiggundu as EC chairperson". Daily Monitor . Kampala. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  6. Vision Reporter (17 January 2017). "New Electoral Commission team sworn in". New Vision . Kampala. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  7. "Observers baffled by 100% voter turnout". Observer. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-02-17.
  8. "Something doesn't add up". The Continent. Archived from the original on 2021-03-06.