By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Candidates contesting for presidential and parliamentary positions their source of funding is restricted after President Museveni has assented to four new electoral laws.
“The president has assented to the four bills including the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Electoral Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill 2019,” Kamuntu told parliament.
In a bid to avoid electoral malpractices such as forgery of academic papers, the new bill that was presented to Museveni, it was intended to amend section 10 of the Presidential Elections Act, 2005 to allow candidates to submit to the Electoral Commission a certified copy of the Certificate of Education of Advanced Level standard or its equivalent.
The Minister however noted that the president refused to assent to the Local Governments (Amendment) Bill saying that putting such qualifications disenfranchises many people.
“When we presented it to him, he said putting such qualifications disenfranchises many people,” Kamuntu said.
Declaration of source of funding
According to the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Act, 2019, presidential candidates will have to declare their source of funding 14 days after nomination by the Electoral Commission.
The new law stipulates that a candidate shall not also obtain, solicit or receive any financial or other assistance from an organisation which has been declared a terrorist organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2002 and that a candidate or their agent who contravenes the same commits an offence and is liable to five years imprisonment on conviction.
The law affects both presidential and parliamentary candidates.
The NRM Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba last year told parliament that the amendment is necessary to help curb interference in the country’s politics by foreign hostile countries or organisations.
In other clauses, a person intending to contest as President or MP will only be eligible to stand for election as an independent if that person is not a member of a registered political party or organization having ceased to be a member of a political party or organisation 12 months before nomination day or having never been registered as a member of a political party or organisation.
The bill on electoral reforms was tabled last year by Attorney General William Byaruhanga expected to address the issues raised by the Supreme Court in the Amama Mbabazi Vs Yoweri Museveni 2016 election ruling.
