EC earmarks Shs35bn for Women council, Committee elections 

By John Kusolo

At least Shs 35 Billion has been earmarked in preparation of Women Council and Committee Elections and Other Electoral-related Activities.

This has been disclosed by Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission.

He revealed the highlights of the following key activities that will be undertaken at the Village level, which forms the basis for the conduct of the elections in a progressive manner up to the national level.

Compilation of Register for Election of Village Women Executive Committees 10th-13th June 2022

In preparation for the Women Councils and Committees Elections, the Electoral Commission will compile a register of willing female residents in each village throughout Uganda from Friday 10th June to Monday 13th June 2022.

The purpose of this registration exercise is to enable all willing female residents aged 18 years and above, to register in order to participate in the above elections within their villages.

The registration will be conducted fron7.00am until 6.00pm on each of the appointed dates, including weekends.

The registration exercise shall be free of charge.

The display of the Register will be from 23rd-24th June 2022 in all villages across the country.

The Village Women’s Committee shall consist of the following five positions,

Chairperson, Vice -Chairperson, Secretary, Publicity Secretary, and Secretary for Finance.

The nomination of candidates for Village Women Executive Committees will be conducted from 27th June-1st July 2022 for respective Sub County/ City Division Headquarters.

Please note that no one can join the subsequent electoral processes if she did not participate at Village level.

Also, all public officers who wish to participate in Women Councils and Committees Elections shall be expected to resign before seeking nomination as candidates.

The candidates’ campaigns for election of Village Women Committee will be conducted from 4th -6th July 2022.

The Commission has appointed Thursday 7th July 2022 as polling day for election of the 5 members of Village Women Committee which will be done by the electorate lining up behind the nominated candidates, their representatives, portraits or symbols.

Voting shall take place in a public/open place within the village, starting at 9.00am.

All persons participating in the elections shall be required to comply with the guidelines issued by the Electoral Commission in accordance with the Government of Uganda and Ministry of Health measures against the spread of COVID-19.

In preparation for the conduct of Women Councils and Committees Elections 2022 and Administrative Units/LC  1 and LC 2 Elections 2023, the Electoral Commission conducted a countrywide exercise to compare, verify, harmonise and  confirm all administrative units/ villages/cells, parishes/wards and sub-counties.

The exercise was conducted from 16th March -27th March 2022, and the Electoral Commission, in conjunction with the Ministry of Local Government, has finalized the processing of returns. 

The purpose of the exercise was to update the list of Villages, Parishes, and Sub-counties in the country upon which the Women Councils and Committees Elections of 2022 and the Administrative Units /LC 1 and LC 2 Elections of 2023, will be based, in accordance with Sections 7 and 25 of the Local Government Act, Cap 243.

Accordingly, the number of Administrative Units in Uganda for purposes of conducting the Women Councils and Comities Elections, 2022 will be comprising of 146 Districts/Cities, 2,191 Sub-counties/Town Councils/ Municipal Divisions, 10,692 Parishes/Wards and 71,255 Village/Cells.

The Commission will issue the list to political parties and organizations to enable them prepare for presenting of candidates during the conduct of Women Councils and Committees Elections to be held this year 2022 and Administrative Units/LC 1 and LC 2 Elections which will be held in 2023.

The Commission will also publish the harmonised and updated list of Administrative Units onto the website for public access.

The current Women Councils and Committees were elected during the period June-August 2018, and the Executive C committee of the National Women’s Council was constituted on 23rd-24 August 2018.

According to the National Women’s Council Act, the terms of office of the said Councils and Committees is four years, implying their term will elapse in August 2022.

Accordingly, the Electoral Commission did earlier issue the programme for the elections of Women Councils and Committee Elections from Village to National level as follows: 

Village/Cell Level 

1. Compilation of Village Women’s Register 10th – 13th June 2022 
2. Display of the Women’s Register at the Village level 23rd – 24th June 2022 
3. Nomination of candidates at the Sub County Headquarters 27th June-1 st July 2022 
4. Candidates’ Campaigns for election of the Village Women Committee 4 th – 6 th July 2022 
5. Polling Day for election of five (5) members of Village Women Committee (lining, counting, filling forms and declaration) 7th July 2022 

Parish/Ward Level 

1. Compilation of the Parish/Ward Women Council Registers 8 th – 9 th July 2022 
2. Display of Parish/Ward Women Council Registers 11th – 12th July 2022 
3. Nomination of Candidates for Parish/Ward Women Committees 13th – 14th July 2022 
4. Candidates’ Campaigns for Parish/Ward Women Committees 18th – 20th July 2022 
5. Polling Day for election of Parish/Ward Women Committees 22nd July 2022 

City Division/Sub-County/Town Council/Municipal Division Level 

1. Compilation of City/Sub-County/Town/Municipal Div. Women’s Registers 23rd July 2022 
2. Display of City Div./Sub County/Town/Municipal Div. Women’s Registers 25th – 26th July 2022 
3. Nomination of candidates (City Division/Sub-County/Town /Municipal Div. Committee) 27th – 28th July 2022 
4. Candidates’ campaigns (City Division/Sub-County/Town /Municipal Div. Committee) 29th July-1 st Aug 2022 
5. Polling Day: election of City Div./Sub-County/Town/Municipal Div. Women Committee 2 nd August 2022 

District/City Level 

1. Compilation of District/City Women Registers 3 rd August 2022 
2. Display of District/City Women Registers 4 th-5 th August 2022 
3. Nomination of Candidates for District/City Women Committees 5 th August 2022 
4. Candidates’ Campaigns for District/City Women Committees 8 th-11th August 2022 
5. Polling Day for Election of District/City Women Committees 12th August 2022 

National Conference for Election of the National Women Committee 

1. National Conference for National Women Committee Elections (Display of register, nomination of candidates, campaigns, voting, counting & declaration of results) 22nd-23rd August 2022