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Mukono leaders up in arms as EC amalgamates areas
EC chairperson, justice Simon Byabakama appears at Parliament in 2023. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The EC has carried out two exercises so far, including demarcation of electoral areas and reorganisation of polling stations.
The Mukono Central Division Council has protested new electoral reforms being implemented by the Electoral Commission ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
During a district council committee meeting chaired by the speaker for Mukono Central Division, Mr Allan Mawanda, last week, councillors accused the Mukono District returning officers and Members of Parliament of alleged betrayal by merging their areas of representation without conducting wider consultations.
The EC has carried out two exercises so far, including demarcation of electoral areas and reorganisation of polling stations.
Under the new electoral arrangement, Mukono Central Division will be represented by only seven directly elected councillors down from 20 and women councillors will be seven down from 13, making a total of 14.
Mukono Central Division was demarcated into seven areas for directly elected councillors and women councilors, including Nsuube-Kauga ward, Ntawo A, and Ntawo B, Namumira-Anthony A, and Namumira-Anthony B, Ggulu A, and Ggulu B. The demarcated areas will bring one directly elected councillor and one Woman councillor to the municipal council.
Mukono Municipality will be represented by nine directly elected councillors, with eight women councillors, whereas Mukono District will have 21 directly elected councillors and 15 women councillors.
But councillors led by Mr Basta Richard Ssenyonga have expressed dismay with their MPs.
“We’re hearing about these changes for the very first time and we cannot forgive our legislators who passed and concealed this information to get us unaware,” Mr Ssenyonga said.
Mr Joseph Bbombokka, another councillor, also questioned the spirit under which the amendments were done, noting that the current population has risen from the 2014 census, which will affect service delivery.
Ms Zainah Nakibirango, a councillor representing Industrial Area at Mukono Central Division, welcomed the amendments noting that the influx into councils has been affecting their emoluments and reducing numbers will allow them space for a better pay.
But Buvuma Member of Parliament Robert Migadde Nduggwa expressed fears that such arrangements will kill the spirit of decentralisation.
“The whole concept of effecting these reforms and amalgamation of electoral areas will affect services to the people,” Mr Ndugwa said.
Mr Mark Muganzi Mayanja, the returning officer for Mukono District, said the EC is only doing their mandate.
“Whatever we do as EC is backed by the law. Parliament makes the amendments, our duty is to implement,’’ he said.
Background
Before the 2021 general elections, Parliament amended the Local Government Act and specifically Section 108 that talks about population quarters and once the amendment was effected, it shifted the population quarter for a basic unit of municipal division, which is a ward from 3,000 to 7,000, causing new amalgamations.
