Paul Bukenya, the Acting EC Spokesperson
The Electoral Commission has released the programme for the elections of Women Councils and Committees from the village to the national level during the period June-August 2022.
The current Women Councils and Committees were elected during the period June–August 2018, and the current Executive Committee of the National Women’s Council was constituted on 23rd – 24th August 2018.
According to the National Women’s Council Act, the term of office of the above Councils and Committees is four (4) years, implying their term will elapse in August 2022.
The electoral programme details the various electoral activities that will be conducted at the various levels and the respective timelines.
According to Paul Bukenya, the Acting EC Spokesperson, field-based activities will begin with the compilation of Village Women’s Voters’ Register from 10th till 13th June, 2022.
“All Ugandan women of 18 years and above and have proof of citizenship, will be eligible for registration within their respective villages of residence,” Bukenya says, adding: “The 2018 elections were conducted in 60,800 which have since increased to 70,512.”
According to the EC, the nomination of candidates for the Village Women Committee elections will be conducted from 27th June to 1st July 2022 at the respective sub county headquarters.
“The campaigns will be conducted from 4th to 6th July, 2022 and polling for the election of five members of the Village Women Committee will take place on the 7th July 2022 by lining up,” Bukenya says, adding: “The electoral process will be progressive, with election by electoral college, of similar 5-member Committees at the Parish/Ward, City Division, Sub-County, Town Council and Municipal Division and 4-member Committees at the District/City levels on various dates through July and August 2022.”
While the election of Executive Committees from the village/cell to the City Division/Sub County/Town Council/Municipal Division shall be by lining up, the EC says, the District/City and the National Women’s Committee elections shall be by secret ballot.
The National Delegates Conference for election of the National Women Executive Committee will be held on 22nd and 23rd August 2022.
Bukenya says the elections will cost at least Shs35 billion, which will cover printing of election-related materials, recruitment, deployment and facilitation of temporary election officials, allowances for election officials and welfare for eligible members of electoral colleges, fuel and administrative expenses, security, voter education and publicity, among others.
