During last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections, several polling stations faced challenges that include using the Biometric Voter Verification Kit (BVVK) machines owing to knowledge gaps, checking voter’s registers and guiding voters on how to proceed during vote casting.
According to Odong, he decided to secure his life and that of his family following what has been happening across the country with security personnel arresting and torturing opposition supporters and candidates.
Kampala district registrar and returning officer Frederick Muwaya says there are 36 contenders for division lord mayors, and 484 for Kampala Capital City Authority councilors and 2,904 for division councilors.
Sarah Bukariwa, the Lango and Acholi Regional Electoral Officer, says that they are neither responsible for the creation of the administrative units nor their operationalization. “The Electoral Commission is not responsible in any way for the operationalization of the new administrative units, our work is to conduct elections in the gazetted areas and that is all. The Ministry of Local Government is responsible and I think they will handle that,” she said in an interview.
Abonga notes that whereas the contractor has registered 50 percent progress in constructing block A and 30 percent progress at Block B, the human resource shortage is likely to affect work.
Dr. Katungi blames the absence of an anesthetist to limited staffing levels at the health unit. The health center, which is supposed to have 57 staff, is short by over 20 health workers.
Francis Byarugaba, the Sembabule District Environment Officer says they are working on an ordinance that will fully operationalize the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act of 2003, for purposes of saving traditional tree species that are currently at great risk.