The Electoral Commission has been cleared to organize Local Council elections after its lawyer signed a consent agreement with an applicant, James Tweheyo, who had opposed conducting the elections.
On November 13, High Court Registrar Sarah Langa issued an interim order stopping the EC from organizing the LC1 elections after ‘concerned citizen’ Tweheyo petitioned court, arguing that holding of the elections would disenfranchise O and A level students, who were sitting for their exams at the time.
Subsequently, in December last year EC lawyer Sabiiti asked presideing Judge Justice Steven Musota to allow him more time for negotiations to reach a consensus. The development prompted Justice Musota to set the date for January 30 this year.
And today EC lawyer Eric Sabiiti, lawyer Caleb Mwesigwa representing ‘concerned citizen’ Tweheyo, consented that the matter is amicably settled. In line with the agreement, the EC was also been availed with school calendar and ordered to organize elections within stipulations of the law.
Last year the EC received Shs15.7 billion from the ministry of finance to organize local council (LC) elections. The elections were set for November but court blocked the exercise and urged the EC to take into consideration candidates who were sitting for their final exams.
LC I elections were last conducted in 2001 and have been in abeyance for three electoral cycles in 2006, 2011 and 2016, reportedly due to lack of funds.
