President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who also serves as the chairperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement party has summoned the party’s central executive committee (CEC) over elections roadmap. According to the notice seen by this website, the agenda has only three items which include prayer, communication from the chairperson and consideration of the NRM electoral roadmap.

“Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the National Resistance Movement Organisation will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2020 at State House, Entebbe beginning at 11:00 a.m.” The notice reads in part.

Appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Tuesday, July 7, the NRM Secretariat team led by the secretary-general, Justine Kasule Lumumba, Opposed the legislators who were tasking the government to declare a State of Emergency instead of letting Ugandans risk their lives by going into elections under the current circumstances.

The party also deferred discussions on electoral roadmap pending a presentation to Parliament by the justice minister Ephraim Kamuntu.

Among the proposals by the Government for party elections is the one of using electoral colleges to select party candidates for different elective positions as well as holding virtual meetings instead of delegates’ conferences.

A number of the opposition party’s have already expressed dissatisfaction with the proposals, with some asking the President to declare a state of emergency and postpone the elections.

The Electoral Commission last month released a roadmap that would be followed by political parties during the forthcoming 2021 general elections. The Electoral Commission also dates for nominations and elections.

In the roadmap, the EC said due to COVID-19, campaigns which involve masses were likely not to take place while voting would be helped under social distance and other guidelines set by the health ministry.

Relatedly, several political parties have since passed their election roadmaps also and invited candidates to express interest to contest for different offices come 2021.

Last week, the chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission, Dr. Tanga Odoi has dismissed social media reports that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party had endorsed an Electoral College as a mode of electing flag bearers in the forthcoming 2021 general elections.

“NRM Electoral Commission has been drawn to information currently circulating on social media that the Central Executive Committee of the NRM endorsed Electoral College as the mode of the election by which the party shall elect its flag bearers for the forthcoming 2020 – 2021 general elections,” Tanga Odoi’s statement read in part.

“The NRM Electoral Commission would like to categorically state that the above information is false. The Commission shall conduct the party primaries by Universal Adult Suffrage as enshrined in the party constitution,” Odoi added.