Outgoing Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) chairperson Eng. Badru Kiggundu has asked government to allow Ugandans in the diaspora to vote during general elections.
Addressing his last press conference as head of the electoral body, Eng. Kiggundu said the EC has tabled amendments to that effect.
During the conference Eng. Kiggundu outlined the achievements and challenges, among them organising free and fair elections, encountered by the IEC during his 14-year tenure and implored Ugandans to be ‘proud of what we have’.
“The Commission has been able to steer Uganda and position it as critical player in developing electoral democracy,” Eng. Kiggundu told the media at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
Other achievements, he said, include among others the opening of regional offices and introduction of the electronic transmission of election results.
On the challenges, Eng. Kiggundu lamented about the negative perception experienced by the IEC, but expressed optimism that that would change over time. He also enumerated other challenges among them the commercialisation of politics, political intolerance and violence.
Since his appointment in 2006, Eng Kiggundu and his team have supervised three general elections; in 2006, 2011 and 2016. All three were won by incumbent President Museveni amid contestations by the opposition.
