KAMPALA — Ugandans will go to polls on January 14, 2021, to elect their Members of Parliament, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced on Thursday at a press conference.
The EC has also set November 9, 2020, to January 12, 2021, as campaign period for all nominated Member of Parliament candidates.
EC chairperson Simon Byakakama said all campaigns should follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guard against the spread of covid-19.
2021 Local Government Council and Parliamentary election dates:
Election of Councillors for Older Persons to the Sub County/Town/Municipal Division – 11 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to the Sub County/Town/Municipal Division – 11 January 2021
Elections of Youth Representatives to the Sub County/Town/Municipal Division – 11 January 2021
Election of Councillors for Older Persons to the Municipality/City Division – 12 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to the Municipality/City Division – 12 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Youth to the Municipality/City Division – 12 January 2021
Elections of Member of Parliament (Directly-elected MP and District Woman Representative to Parliament) – 14 January 2021
National Conference for Election of Older Persons Representatives to Parliament – 17 and 18 January 2021
National Conference for Election of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) Representatives to Parliament – 17 and 18 January 2021
National Conference for Election of Workers Representatives to Parliament – 17 and 18 January 2021
Elections of District Local Government Councils: (District/City Chairpersons, Lord Mayor, Mayors, and Councillors) – 20 January 2021
National Conference for Election of National Female Youths Representative to Parliament – 21 and 22 January 2021
Elections of Municipality/City Division Chairpersons and Councillors – 25 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Older Persons to the District Local Government Councils – 27 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) to the District Local Government Councils – 27 January 2021
Elections of Councillors for Youths to the District Local Government Councils – 27 January 2021
Elections of Workers Representatives to District Local Government Councils – 27 January 2021
Elections of UPDF Representatives to Parliament – 29 January 2021
Regional Conferences for Election of Regional Youths Representatives to Parliament – 31 January and 01 February 2021
Elections of Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons and Councillors February – 03 2021
Periods for campaign meetings for Parliamentary and Local Government election candidates.
Parliamentary Elections (Directly-elected MP and District Woman Representative to Parliament) – 09 November 2020 to 12 January 2021
City/District Local Government Councils (Lord Mayor/Mayors/Chairpersons and Councilors) – 09 November 2020 to 18 January 2021
Municipality/City Division Chairpersons and Councilors – 09 November 2020 to 23 January 2021
Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons and Councilors – 09 November 2020 to 01 February 2021
Byabakama urged all nominated candidates as well as their agents, supporters and the general public, to carefully observe the following guidelines for the campaign period.
Key among the guidelines, campaigns shall be conducted between 7am and 6pm, andidates and their agents shall not use or publish any language or defamatory words, which incite public disorder, hatred, violence or which threatens war.
Others include inches following of COVID-19 containment rules among others.
Byabkama said candidates will be allowed to organise/hold campaign meetings, in a regulated manner, preferably outdoors, with limited attendance of a maximum of seventy (70) persons, to enable the observance of the 2-meters social distancing rule for the persons attending the meeting.
Candidates who use posters are warned against putting them (campaign posters) on road traffic signs.
Similarly, candidates who use banners are strongly warned against hanging them (campaign banners) on electricity power lines, or in a manner that endangers vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement
The Commission has also advised candidates to use community-based Public Address Systems (kizindaalo) between 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm, as per the campaign programme harmonised with the respective Returning Officers.
