The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, led by President Patrick Amuriat, has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of intentionally delaying the organization of Local Council (LC) I, II, and Women Councils elections in an apparent effort to align with the interests of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
It’s worth noting that the term of office for LC I and II chairpersons expired on July 10, 2023, while that of Women Councils expired in 2022.
Up to this point, there is uncertainty regarding when the roadmap for the LC elections will be unveiled. While the EC cites a lack of funds as the cause of the delays, FDC alleged on Monday that the EC might be strategically delaying the elections to catch opposition political parties off guard, thus favoring the NRM.
“The risk is real that the Electoral Commission intends to spring these elections as a surprise when it aligns with the ruling party’s interests, as they have done previously,” added the opposition party.
Additionally, the FDC accused the NRM of planning to utilize the Parish Development Model (PDM) to distribute money to voters during these and other elections.
“As we speak, NRM leaders are indiscriminately distributing money across the country under the pretext of the Parish Development Model, and some of this money will inevitably find its way into election campaigns.”
Given these concerns, the FDC has called upon the EC to refrain from playing mind games and promptly provide a clear and unambiguous roadmap for the LC elections.
“We urge the Electoral Commission to avoid engaging in ‘Ping-Pong’ and ensure a fair playing field for all political parties and candidates.”
In April, the EC submitted a request for Shs60.8 billion to conduct Local Council elections in the 70,626 villages across the country. Nevertheless, this request faced challenges from a group of Members of Parliament who argued that the funds were inflated.
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