LC Elections scheduled for January 2017

LC Elections scheduled for January 2017


By Serestino Tusingwire


Government has finally set January 2017 as the deadline to hold lower administrative unit elections.

Following consultations between the ministries of Finance, Justice, Local Government and Gender, it was agreed that the LC 1 and LC 2 elections should be held next year to put an end to speculation on the fate of the polls.

The last LC 1 and 2 elections were held in 2006, however a Constitutional Court ruling declared them unconstitutional after retired Major Rubaramira Ruranga challenged their legality, on grounds that they were organized using laws that did not conform to the multiparty system of government.

During a meeting between the ministries and Parliament’s Public Service and Local Government committee on 7th October 2016, State Minister of Finance, David Bahati explained that the stakeholders agreed to hold the polls and will spend Shs12 billion on the exercise.

Bahati however says amendments have to be made on the Local Government Act to allow for programs like display of voter register, cleaning of the voter register, demarcation of boundaries, voter education, among others, to be held in one day.

The minister says cabinet will sit this month to draft the amendments to Parliament such that the preparations can start by December 2016.

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