Opinion: NRM SG Lumumba wants the CAOs only to work together with ruling party; as the Opposition are only creating trouble with the civil servants she assumes!

I got to be honest, when the NRM SG Lumumba or any other in the Ruling Regime is forgetting how they hired people and for what reason; then I need to address the mistakes and the bewilderment in the lacking of institutionalism and professionalism in the Movement. Not that I am surprised as they follow any wink or movement from Mzee. Let’s show first what the Secretary General Lumumba said recently and then what a CAO was claimed to be doing when the Public Service Commission hired a dozen in 2014!

“The National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretary general, Ms Kasule Lumumba, has warned district Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) against being influenced by Opposition district chairpersons while executing their duties” (…) “It has come to my attention that most of the district Opposition leaders use their positions to intimidate our CAOs, mostly those who have been transferred to new offices such as our CAO in Wakiso and others in different districts,” Ms Lumumba said” (…) “When I stop you CAOs from being influenced by the district chairpersons, it doesn’t mean that I have told you to have disagreements with them but when you notice that you’re being influenced, please refuse and report to our offices for technical support. But I also need you people to have harmony and good working relationship with them while executing your duties,” she added” (Kiggundu, 2017).

What are key factors in all job descriptions of CAOs?

“Providing direction and guidance to the Local Government Councils and their Departments in the application of the relevant laws and policies. Supervising, monitoring and coordinating the activities of the District and Lower Council’s employees and departments and ensuring accountability and transparency in the management and delivery of Council services. Developing capacity for development and management of the planning function in the District. Supervising and coordinating the activities of all delegated services and the officers working in those services. Keeping custody of all documents and records of the Local Government Council. Acting as liaison Officer between the District Council, Government and private sector. Advising the Chairperson and Executive on the administration of the Council” (Public Service Commission, 31.09.2014).

So when you see the NRM Secretary general statement, it is fault and mistaken it’s role of the CAO. The CAOs are for the better work of the Local Government Council, that means for all members neither if they are Democratic Party, Uganda People’s Congress, Forum for Democratic Change, Farmers Party or the Progressive People’s Party. What matters is that the results and the work of the Local Government Council, not their allegiance or their place in which party. The CAO are also for ensuring accountability and transparency. Being so means that the CAO has to look over the LGC and their portfolios, their works and their needed assistance across party lines, neither if it is NRM or any other party. Still, the NRM SG Lumumba is more about the opposition creating fear supposedly from the Opposition. Since the NRM are usually pre-occupied with finding ways of bribing justice and rule of law.

The CAO and the LGC are inter-connected neither party involved in the district that matters. The Councillors and other leaders need to know what plans and how to participate together with the CAO to fulfil the guidance and needed state oversight of the works of the district. If this isn’t done, than the checks and balances will be lacking trust.  There need to be a working relationship between the District Council and the CAO. When the CAO will be the liaison of the works done in the district!

So I would wish the ruling party and ruling regime had more tact. But that is asking too much, people like NRM SG Lumumba always create enemies instead of trying to bring an olive-branch. It is not in her character to be peaceful or dialogue. Instead she is on the war-path. Blaming the opposition and giving them a head-spin.

She would never ever have said this about her own, hey she would praise for the work in the districts. NRM SG didn’t say anything about the NRM Councillors because they are perfect and doesn’t try to intimidate or use their positions at all. They are perfect party members and local elected officials who work in wonderful harmony with the CAOs, not like the opposition. This could be the second meaning of what she did say?

Well, enough of the nonsense from the Movement for today. Peace.

Reference:

Kiggundu, Joseph – ‘Lumumba cautions CAOs on Opposition leaders’ (12.02.2017) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Lumumba-cautions-CAOs-on-Opposition-leaders/688334-3809580-41if1u/index.html

Preliminary Election Observation Statement in Kakumiro, Kibaale, Kagadi, Rubanda and Omoro Districts (29.08.2016)

The Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) was launched on 19th August 2009. CCEDU is a broad coalition that brings together over 850 like-minded civil society organizations and over 25,000 individuals to advocate for electoral democracy in Uganda. The CCEDU secretariat is hosted by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI). CCEDU’s vision is to realize a Uganda where the principles and practices of electoral democracy are upheld. Its mission is to advance integrity and citizen participation in Uganda’s electoral process. CCEDU carries out its work in all districts and regions of Uganda. Since its establishment, CCEDU has been a leading player in advocacy for electoral reforms, observation of general and by-elections and civic/voter education campaigns.
CCEDU has a special mandate to observe Elections in conformity with the relevant international instruments governing election observation and the Constitution and National Laws of the Republic of Uganda
This statement presents the preliminary observations on the opening and setup process of the CCEDU Election Observation Mission in the five districts. CCEDU share a more detailed report with once more information has been received from our observers.

SUMMARY

In August 2015, government approved the creation of new districts. Subsequently, the EC, on 30 June 2016, announced the programme for Parliamentary and Local Government Councils election in five of the newly created districts namely Kakumiro and Kagadi curved out of Kibaale district; Rubanda curved out of present day Kabale district and Omoro curved out of present day Gulu district. The offices for election are: District Woman Member of Parliament, Local Council V chairpersons and Youth representative.
In line with its mission to enhance integrity, transparency and active citizen participation in Uganda’s electoral processes, CCEDU commissioned an election observation mission in the five (5) districts, to observe the pre-election, Election Day and post-election periods.
CCEDU has deployed 100 polling station observers distributed proportionally in all the 49 sub counties that make up the five districts. These have been stationed across all the 49 sub counties to observe and report on the Election Day processes at the polling stations. (See Annex of CCEDU Observer Distribution in the 5 districts). These 100 observers are supported by 5 district supervisors, one in each district. Additionally CCEDU members and staff of CCEDU secretariat are on ground supplementing reports from the stationary observers.

PRELIMINARY ELECTION DAY FINDINGS

The conduct of the elections was guided by the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, the Parliamentary Elections Act 2005, the Local Government Act 1997 as amended and the Electoral Commission Act 1997.

This statement is based on observer reports and incidents filed by all the 100 observers deployed in the 5 districts as at 11:40 am focusing on the opening and setup process.

Findings on Set-up and Opening Process:

On the opening and set up process, CCEDU has observed the following:

• Polling officials had arrived only in 28 polling stations of the 100 polling stations by 6:30am. Although Omoro had a higher presence of polling officials, on the contrary, polling officials in Kakumiro, Kagadi, Kibaale and Rubanda districts were not present at polling stations by 6:30 which affected the opening of most polling stations.

• The Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Acts as amended provide for polling to begin at 7:00am and end at 4:00pm. By 7:00am, only 10 polling stations out of the 100 polling stations observed in the five districts had opened. Although most of the polling stations (72 of 100 polling stations) observed had opened by 8:00am. 27 polling stations opened after 8:30am.

• Although 91 of 100 polling stations observed had all strategic materials, 5 polling stations in Kagadi, Kakumiro and Rubanda were missing indelible ink and 1 polling station in Rubanda was missing the voter register.

• In line with Objective VI of the national objectives and directive principles of state policy, which provides for gender balance in all government institutions, out of the 4 polling officials in the 100 polling stations observed, at least 2 of polling officials were women.

• In most of the polling stations observed, polling officials followed procedure by observing the presence of at least 5 registered voters in 95 of the 100 polling stations observed. Additionally, polling officials in 95 of the 100 polling stations observed displayed ballot boxes to be empty before voting commenced observed and in 93 of 100 polling stations observed polling officials followed the set procedure of sealing ballot boxes before voting commenced.

• CCEDU observers have also noted the presence of party agents across all districts. NRM party agents were present in all the 5 districts (in 96 of the 100 polling stations observed), Independent candidates agents present in Kagadi, Kakumiro, Omoro and Rubanda (in 75 of the 100 polling stations observed) and FDC party agents present in Kagadi, Kibaale, Omoro and Rubanda (in 58 polling stations observed.) However UPC, DP and PP party agents presence is limited to Omoro district.
Critical Incidents:

The following critical incidents have been reported and confirmed by CCEDU observers between 7:00am and 11:40am:

• Biometric Voter verification systems malfunctioned in Kibaale District, Buyanja County, and Matale A Sub-county and at Nkooko B polling station, Bugangaizi East County, Kakumiro District.
• Voter bribery has been reported in Bubare C polling station, Rubanda county East in Rubanda District.
• A fight between agents of an NRM candidate and an agent of an Independent candidate were reported and confirmed at Birembo A Sub-county, Bugangaizi West County in Kakumiro District.
• In Kyanyi Polling station, polling station code 01 in Nyamarinda Sub-county, Kibaale district, it was observed that 4 people known to be deceased had their names ticked in the voter’s register as though the deceased had voted.
• Kakumiro community radio was reported to have been campaigning for an NRM candidate in Kakumiro town council, Kakumiro district.
• Agents of independent candidates were said to have manhandled an agent for the NRM candidate at Kakindo sub-county, Bugangaizi West county, Kakumiro district.

Conclusion

CCEDU remains committed to objectively observing and reporting on the elections as they unfold in the five districts. We shall provide a comprehensive statement on the polling and closing, counting and tabulation processes tomorrow August 30 at 10:00am.

We urge voters to remain peaceful and come out in large numbers to exercise their right to vote.

For God and my country.

Uganda: Adm72/01 – Final Preparations for Parliamentary and Local Government Councils Elections in Newly-Created Districts (25.08.2016)