Electoral Commission bans fundraising as Rukungiri gears up for by- election

The Electoral Commission has banned all fundraising activities in Rukungiri District as the area gears up to vote for its woman Member of Parliament.

The Court of Appeal in Kampala last month declared the Rukungiri Woman MP seat vacant on grounds of voter bribery in the 2016 elections and threw out NRM's Winnie Matsiko out parliament.

According to the election road map released by the election body, the program stating on April 16 up to May 31 when the polling will take place.

“During this by-election program, no fundraising activities shall be allowed in Rukungiri district so as to allow a levelled ground for candidates in the race,” EC deputy chairperson Hajjat Aisha Lubega told journalists on Thursday.

“Those found in contravention of the law shall be brought to book.”

The ban according to the Electoral Commission deputy chairperson will take effect starting on April 20 which is the date for cut off for registration of voters and transfer of voting location.

According to the program, there will be a display of voters’ register at polling stations and issuance of voter location slips.

Hajjat Lubega urged voters to ensure thy fully comply with the guidelines and the program so as to avoid complaints of names missing on the voters’ register.

“We shall display the register for 10 days to enable everyone crosscheck for their names to avoid complaints in the future.”

She said there will be a second chance of register display to enable voters crosscheck with the updated data and this would later be the final register to be used for polling on May 31.

“Electoral Commission imagines that after doing this exercise, there will be no problem with the register and claims of absence from the voters’ register.”

She however urged candidates to adhere to the electoral laws throughout this period so as to avoid problems that may arise in the future.

According to the Electoral Commission, they will spend shs850 million in the Rukungiri Woman Member of Parliament by-election .

Rukungiri district has 280 polling stations with 171497 voters as of March 29 according to the election body.

This election is expected to be the new battle ground for political nemeses President Museveni and opposition strongman Dr.Kizza Besigye.

Museveni will try to prove supremacy over Besigye in his own home district.