Why NRM CEC Wants Open Voting In Primaries

By Henry Mulindwa

NRM Central Executive Committee [CEC] sitting in Entebbe state house has finalized plans to have constitutional reforms made in the party’s constitution.

Whereas speculation was rife that the party would make various amendments, it has emerged that in their sitting yesterday, the senior party leaders resolved to have only one amendment done to the to party’s constitution in which those intending to take up elective positions will be subjected to an ‘open voting’ by way of lining behind candidates. This mode of voting will be applied in the party’s internal primary elections.

According to sources in NRM CEC, the decision to adopt open voting was premised on an assumption that the method is less costly in terms of logistics and financial costs.

“There will be no procurement of ballot papers, buckets, indelible ink, pens and basins among other electoral materials.It will provide for a desirable Party cohesion because of being transparent. It will uproot multiple voting.It will reduce on temptations of election manipulation & commercialization of politics” an NRM source says.

The same decision; it is assumed will also reduce on administrative costs the Party has been grappling with.

Rogers Mulindwa, the NRM communications officer says the amendment according to CEC would also will cure challenges of election postponement due to delays in production, packing, and transportation of huge volumes of election materials.

“Lining up will be in conformity with the National Laws of Uganda especially the Local Govt Act.Will cure allegations of ballot stuffing.It will eliminate and make extremely risky the phenomenon of election managers swapping results. Allegations of ghost Polling Stations will be eliminated” he says.

Mulindwa says following this decision by CEC, it is going to be presented to the National Executive Council (NEC) later today for further consideration before forwarding the same to the National Conference on Saturday.

The meeting held in Entebbe on Thursday was chaired by the National Chairman H.E Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

“It is assumed that if approved by NEC today and the National Conference tomorrow, the NRM Secretariat will proceed and generate appropriate and enabling election materials that will include Voter Education Literature” Mulindwa says.