In the run-up to the 2021 general elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) has started the implementation of yet another critical stage of the elections road map.
The commission says arrangements have kicked off in preparation for a 21-day voters’ register display exercise. The exercise, according to the road map, originates from the general update of the national voters’ register which was conducted between November 21 and December 23, 2019.
According to public notice, the exercise commences on February 19 and ends on March 10, 2020. The voter register display provides a chance for voters to ascertain that their particulars and voting locations are correct.
The exercise will also help to identify people who are not eligible to vote for deletion from the register, including the dead. The EC communication commences arrangements well ahead to prepare for the exercise to avoid shortcomings.
The commission indicated that the exercise kicks off with the recruitment of display officials who will manage the exercise at all the polling stations across the country.
There are 34,236 polling stations in 10,011 parishes across the country, according to the EC data arising from recent polling stations reorganization exercise.
The EC is to recruit one display official per polling station, according to the commission chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama.
This presents an opportunity for 34,236 jobs. The EC called for interested qualifying Ugandans to immediately apply to take up the jobs. Application forms can be accessed at the EC website (www.ec.or.ug <http://www. ec.or.ug> ) .
“The completed application form accompanied by a photocopy of the applicant’s national identity card (ID) card ID should be delivered to the returning officer or district registrar of the EC at each district not later than Monday, January 20, 2020.”
This is the second phase of recruitment this financial year. The EC has already recruited 10,057 supervisors for each of the 1,671 sub-counties and 8,386 parishes in the country. The parish and sub-county supervisors are, among other responsibilities, supposed to be in charge of updating the voter’s register, issuing voter location slips and conducting voter education in the sub-county.
They are also responsible for the EC equipment and materials within their jurisdiction. The EC has so far been allocated sh414b as an extra budget to prepare for the 2021 general elections.
The roles of display officials, according to the EC, will include exhibiting registers, filling in relevant forms, guiding voters, confirming the accuracy of voter information and delivering display materials to parish supervisors.
Any Ugandan with a minimum of an A’level certificate with at least one principal pass, good handwriting and able to fill in the forms accurately, qualifies to apply to be a display official.
The commission encourages females to apply and take up the opportunity. “Indicating that successful applicants should be ready for deployment by February, the EC demands that they exhibit a high degree of discipline.
Efforts to establish how much money the EC will pay display officials for the 21 days they will work were futile. After the display, the next expected step of mass recruitment will be that of polling officials.