With just days to the general presidential and parliamentary elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) has reiterated key legal provisions governing conduct at polling stations, emphasizing order, peace, and compliance with electoral laws.
Speaking during NBS Eagle on Sunday, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Electoral Commission, Paul Bukenya, clarified the rules that will guide voter behavior and the management of polling stations across the country.
“A polling station is a designated area; it has rules governing it, and the law clearly specifies the waiting time,” he said.
Bukenya stressed that polling stations are regulated spaces intended to ensure a free, fair, and orderly voting process.
Bukenya further underscored the responsibility of all stakeholders to maintain calm during voting.
“You are responsible for maintaining peace at the polling station,” he said, calling on voters, party supporters, and election officials alike to uphold law and order throughout the exercise.
On the role of candidates and their representatives, the EC official reiterated that the law allows for transparency through the presence of polling agents.
“It was clarified that every candidate should have an agent to monitor their votes inside the polling station,” he said, adding that these agents play a critical role in safeguarding the integrity of the vote.
Addressing concerns about crowding and voter conduct after voting, Bukenya emphasized the enforcement of the legally mandated 20-metre rule.
“The 20-metre rule is in the law and will be followed and enforced during the elections,” he stated.
Under the provision, voters may remain within 20 metres of polling stations after voting, a clause opposition leaders have leveraged to urge citizens to protect their ballots under the widely circulated slogan “kanonye, kalonde, kakuume, kabanje.”
As the country heads into the final days before the elections, the Electoral Commission has urged all voters to familiarize themselves with these guidelines and to cooperate with election officials and security personnel.
