The Electoral Commission is working on the process of clearing European Union observers for the coming general elections.
The commission’s deputy chairperson Aisha Lubega said contrary to what has been reported, the international observers had initially pulled out by themselves following the outbreak of COVID19.
She however says the group has since changed and expressed interest in participating, adding that the commission is now working on their accreditation.
“We think that there was a corona threat that time. Now they have changed their minds and they have written to us and they want to participate in the observation. We are working on them and they will be in the field on that day,” she said
She also adds that the NGOs that would wish to participate in the observation process should write to the electoral commission.
Turn around
On June 18, Ambassador Pacifici told Uganda Radio Network that the COVID-19 pandemic had complicated the electoral process and the plan to deploy observers in the country. He however said that they will use the domestic mechanism of collaborating with the Electoral Commission (EC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to devise ways of supporting them to effectively monitor the upcoming election.
The Ambassador emphasized that it is logistically impossible for the EU to observe the 2021 general election and that they also need to feel welcome to the point of being invited as observers since this had not happened yet.
The EU has been one of the biggest international election monitors in Uganda over the years, with more than 60 election observers in the country in the last general election held in 2016.
The commission’s deputy chairperson Aisha Lubega said contrary to what has been reported, the international observers had initially pulled out by themselves following the outbreak of COVID19.
She however says the group has since changed and expressed interest in participating, adding that the commission is now working on their accreditation.
“We think that there was a corona threat that time. Now they have changed their minds and they have written to us and they want to participate in the observation. We are working on them and they will be in the field on that day,” she said.
She also adds that the NGOs that would wish to participate in the observation process should write to the electoral commission.
Turn around
On June 18, Ambassador Pacifici told Uganda Radio Network that the COVID-19 pandemic had complicated the electoral process and the plan to deploy observers in the country. He however said that they will use the domestic mechanism of collaborating with the Electoral Commission (EC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to devise ways of supporting them to effectively monitor the upcoming election.
The Ambassador emphasized that it is logistically impossible for the EU to observe the 2021 general election and that they also need to feel welcome to the point of being invited as observers since this had not happened yet.
The EU has been one of the biggest international election monitors in Uganda over the years, with more than 60 election observers in the country in the last general election held in 2016.
