Reports Leo Odera Omolo
EIGHT presidential aspirants have picked nominations forms to run in next year’s elections. The main political players are yet to do so,the government owned NEWVISION reported this morning, while querying the reason why the leading political party luminaries are keeping quiet..
The politicians who collected papers are Emmanuel Tumusiime, the leader of the Forum for Integrity in Leadership, Sadrak Ogemba of the Peoples United Movement and Sulaiman Masaba of the Uganda People’s Party.
The others are Bomboka Isiko of the Farmers Party of Uganda, Moses Kakama of the National Youth Revolutionary Organisation, Erias Wamala of National Peasant Party and Samuel Lubega of a DP splinter faction.
Independent candidate Charles Opio also picked the forms ahead of the deadline of October 25. The nomination dates for presidential and parliamentary candidates are October 25 and 26.
The presidential aspirants will be nominated at the commission’s head offices in Kampala and parliamentary candidates at the district headquarters. District chairpersons and councillors will be nominated on November 4 and 5 at the district and county headquarters, respectively.
The ruling NRM party is expected to elect Yoweri Museveni this weekend as its candidate. FDC party leader Kizza Besigye was elected to stand on the Inter-Party Cooperation ticket as a joint candidate. Norbert Mao will represent DP. Olara Otunnu of UPC is also expected to contest.
According to the Electoral Commission, the candidates must pay nomination fees of sh8m, collect 100 signatures from at least 75 districts and hand in three passport size photos and certified copies of academic papers.
Unlike in the past where the candidates were required to carry cash and copies of the signatures to be verified on the day of the nominations, the commission this time requires the aspirants to only carry receipts as proof of payment and submit a list of the 100 supporters in advance for verification.
Nominated presidential aspirants will receive facilitation of sh20m, a car and Police escorts. But where a candidate withdraws from the race within 30 days after nomination, such a candidate shall refund the money.
Candidates may not use long convoys of vehicles during nominations, except just two vehicles, each of which shall bear Police stickers and carry no more than 10 people.
To be eligible for the presidential and parliamentary seats, a candidate must be a citizen of Uganda, a registered voter and have at least an A’level certificate or its equivalent. A person cannot stand for president if he is of unsound mind, holds an office that handles elections, or is a cultural leader, or is bankrupt.
Anyone under a death sentence or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months without an option of a fine cannot also stand. Candidates may be disqualified if they have within seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or convicted over election crimes.
Parliamentary candidates are to pick nomination forms from their districts of origin and to be nominated they will be required to produce signatures of 10 supporters, who are registered voters in the constituency, pay nomination fees of sh200,000 and hand in certified copies of their academic papers.
Civil servants wishing to join the race will be required to submit copies of their resignation letter as well, which should have been tendered in 90 days before nomination data.