EC: 'We met Museveni to appeal for election funding, not permission to hold elections'

The Electoral Commission (EC) spokesperson Jotham Taremwa has revealed that the EC met with President Museveni to appeal for election funding and not permission to hold elections.

The EC has for two weeks now been under spotlight following the release of a revised election roadmap where it stated that campaigns for the forthcoming elections will be held 'scientifically' on television, radio and online.

While appearing on the NBS Television Media Round Table on Friday morning, Taremwa revealed that the EC met every political party about the roadmap and there was no harm in their meeting with President Museveni.

Taremwa said, "What is wrong about meeting the president? We met the president appealing for election funding because according to the law, he is the substantive minister for Finance."

Among other issues Taremwa said that the EC also met the President to tell him about the evacuation letters that they have received because their headquarters are in path of the proposed Jina Road Flyover yet they have nowhere to go.

"Where the Electoral Commission resides is going to be used for the flyover. We have been given several warning letters to evacuate but we have nowhere to go because we do not have money. So, we had to let President Museveni know about our issues. We did not meet to ask for permission to release the roadmap," Taremwa added.

Asked about former journalist turned evangelist and political commentator Joseph Kabuleta who dragged the EC to court over the revised roadmap, Taremwa said that Kabuleta has every right, like any other Ugandan to go to court.

Taremwa reaffirmed that EC doesn't need consult anyone when coming up with an election programme because they're independent.