EC: We didn't consult political parties because they lack consensus-building mechanisms

The Electoral Commission (EC) boss, Justice Simon Byabakama has revealed that the EC didn't consult political parties when coming up with a revised road map for the 2021 general election, because the parties lack consensus-building mechanisms.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/06/17/we-dont-require-anyones-advice-before-coming-up-with-an-election-roadmap-ec/

Since it's launch, the election revised roadmap has been a subject of debate in many political corridors and talk shows with several political parties saying that they were not consulted while coming up with it.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/06/17/bobi-wine-rejects-ridiculous-scientific-2021-election-roadmap/

While appearing on NBS Television's Morning Breeze, Thursday morning, Justice Byabakama said that they might not have reached a consensus had they decided to consult.

Byabakama said, "Some of these political parties lack consensus-building mechanisms. If the Commission were to first consult these political parties and stakeholders, would we ever have consensus? If we were to consult right from the beginning, we would never move an inch."

Byabakama however revealed that ever since the roadmap was launched, they have been consulting several stakeholders and listened to different views which the commission will try to consider.

"Comprehensive guidelines will be coming out by next week. We are going to meet with the ministry of health to factor in the people's health concerns," Byabakama said.

Byabakama added that, "It makes me proud that I am the EC chairman at a time like this. It gives me tremendous courage to know that no Electoral Commission has held elections under such circumstances."

https://nilepost.co.ug/2020/06/23/museveni-defends-electoral-commission-on-scientific-elections/

One of the major concern of those that are against the revised roadmap is that 2021 election campaigns will be held virtually on TV, radio and online which, according to them is not in line with the Constitution.

Byabakama said that, the Commission is working under the law and that they will continue on their mandate journey until another entity mandated by the law tells them to stop.

He said, "I want to disabuse the narrative that we are working outside the law. We are very mindful of acting within the law."

On meeting President Museveni

Several politicians also criticised the EC for meeting with President Yoweri Museveni prior to the release of the revised roadmap.

They said that the roadmap favours President Museveni and that he might have influenced the decision.

Byabakama, however refuted these claims saying that they met the President primarily in the issue of funds and not elections.

"Our budget for the general elections had a shortfall. UNRA gave us a deadline to move out of our premises because that place will be required for the Kampala flyover project. This was not included in the budget, and we had not been given a solution," Byabakama said.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/07/26/unra-begins-demolitions-ahead-of-kampala-flyover-project/

" Our only hope was the President. The opportunity to see him only opened up when the lockdown was slowly easing," he added.