Byaruhanga: Government is on course to implement electoral reforms
The presidential adviser Moses Byaruhanga has urged the Electoral Commission to embark on voters’ registration, guidelines and national identity card clearances before releasing the election road map to eliminate allegations of rigging and demand for electoral reforms.
While appearing on the NBS TV's Morning Breeze, Byaruhanga said with or without the electoral reforms that were ruled upon by the supreme court in 2016, elections can only be held without mistrust if aspirants for the 2021 elections start now to follow up on their voter’s registration among others before the election is here.
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The controversy about the need for electoral reforms started way back in 2016 when the supreme court ruled 10 reforms to be considered before the next election. The Attorney General is left with 4 of the reforms to wind up the process and take them to parliament.
According to Moses Byaruhanga, government can implement any reforms when given time to and hence refuted the allegation that 2021 elections will not be trusted if the electoral reforms are not implemented before the elections.
Kaheru countered Byaruhanga on delayed electoral reforms
Among the contested phases, is the legibility of the president to donate money and other necessities to the voters during campaigns. Byaruhanga says, as any incumbent in any other country, President Museveni is obliged to fulfil his promises to the people no matter the time frame.
Byaruhanga added that the contestants in the forthcoming elections should not demand for electoral reforms but embark on voter registration cross checking to avoid disputes over the elections like 2011 and 2016 elections attracted.
He therefore called upon the electoral commission and political parties to endorse the voter registration and clearances before embarking on the roadmap to eliminate electoral contestations.
It is now two years since the supreme court ordered the attorney general to draft the ten reforms, take them to parliament and see them implemented before the 2021 elections. There is fear that government might intentionally delay the reforms which will see more electoral disputes.
