The Electoral Commission has announced the date for the presidential elections.
According to the EC Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, presidential candidates will start campaigns on November 9, 2020 and end on January 12, 2021 before polls take place on January,14.
It comes a day after the commission concluded a 2-day nomination exercise for presidential candidates in which 11 candidates were cleared to run for presidency come 2021.
The commission had earlier set 14 January 2021 as polling day for members of parliament and local government councils attracting criticism for announcing the polling dates separately.
Speaking about the fracas that ensured during the last day of nominations, Byabakama said he has not yet been briefed about what really transpired.
“We are going to sit with security. We want to find out what exactly happened and inquire into it. If we don’t inquire into these things, we might get something worse. What kind of country are we working towards? We must have peace to have a free, fair and credible election,” Byabakama said.
Commenting on the role of the security detail, Byabakama said the officers are supposed to move with the presidential candidate where he moves.
Byabakama however warned the presidential candidates and their supporters on violating COVID-19 guidelines put in place by government.
11 candidates were successfully nominated and they are NRM’s Yoweri Museveni, FDC’s Patrick Amuriat, Alliance for National transformation’s Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, National Unity Platform’s Robert Kyagulanyi, and DP’s Nobert Mao.
Others are Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, Nancy Kalembe, Fred Mwesigye, John Katumba, Joseph Kabuleta, and Willy Mayambala