EC Official Condemns Money Politics, Urges Voters to Elect Credible Leaders

KABALE — The Regional Electoral Officer in charge of Ankole and Kigezi, Beine Robert Bob, has condemned the growing commercialization of politics, urging Ugandans to reject vote buying and instead elect capable and credible leaders in the forthcoming Local Council (LC) elections.

Speaking to journalists at White Horse Inn in Kabale on Tuesday after the Electoral Commission released the roadmap for the LC elections scheduled for next month, Bob said leaders who buy votes often fail to serve the interests of the people.

“Leaders elected through money end up treating leadership as a transaction because they expect to recover the money they spent during campaigns,” Bob said.

He appealed to voters to turn up in large numbers on polling day and choose leaders based on their integrity, competence and commitment to serving their communities rather than financial inducements.

Bob also expressed concern over the low participation of women in Local Council elections, saying many positions meant for women remain vacant due to a shortage of candidates.

“We continue to register very few women candidates, and this leaves many positions vacant. We are carrying out voter education to encourage more women to participate and ensure all positions are filled,” he said.

He added that the Electoral Commission is intensifying voter education to discourage the commercialization of politics and encourage meaningful participation in the electoral process.

Bob explained that the LC elections, scheduled for July 28, will be conducted using the lining-up method, where voters line up behind their preferred candidates.

“The Local Governments Act, Section 123, subsections (1) and (2), provides for voting by lining up behind candidates during village Local Council elections,” he said.

According to Bob, his area of operation covers 19 districts in the Ankole and Kigezi sub-regions. He noted that Uganda has 71,214 villages, of which 9,673 are found in southwestern Uganda.

He said the Electoral Commission will recruit one Village Election Officer in every village to oversee the compilation of village registers.

Bob added that, alongside registering village residents, the Commission is also registering eligible women in preparation for Women Councils and Committees elections.

Meanwhile, Valence Niwagaba, a resident of Kabira I Village in Kigata Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, Ndorwa East, expressed concern about the lining-up voting system.

“Voting by lining up can create divisions because some people fear voting against their relatives or friends even when they believe another candidate is more capable,” Niwagaba said.

He appealed to the Electoral Commission to consider introducing secret ballot voting for Local Council elections in the future.

“Like presidential and parliamentary elections, LC elections should also be conducted by secret ballot to allow voters to make independent choices without fear or pressure,” he added.