Uganda’s Opposition Threatens Polls Boycott In 2016 Elections

Written by Staff

Apr 04, 2015

Uganda’s opposition parties have threatened to boycott presidential and parliamentary elections due next year.

A final road map for Uganda’s 2016 electoral exercise released Wednesday by the country’s electoral commission has come under attack after the opposition criticised the announced election dates.

The commission said the exercise would start with an update of the voters’ register at constituency level in April before presidential and parliamentary polls slated for 12 February 2016.

Addressing a media conference, acting chairperson of the commission, Joseph Biribonwa said: “The road-map for 2016 elections is ready. All those who took part in the national ID registration exercise will not be allowed to register for 2016 polling exercise but only have to check for their particulars starting 7th to 30th”.

The commission also said the campaign period will last almost four months following the creation of more districts. Campaigning for previous elections was limited to a three-month period.

The opposition parties have rejected the commission’s neutrality, claiming it is biased and partial to President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling party and demanded it be replaced.

“In the electoral law reforms proposals we said that a new electoral commission, appointed on an individual’s merit must be put in place to organise the 2016 elections,” northern Uganda opposition parties spokesman, Felix Ochaya said.

“We will boycott the elections if they do not listen to our concerns.

“We have all along been complaining about a biased electoral commission that has led to opposition losing elections in the past.”