AS LEGISLATORS in Uganda question the government's planned expenditure on the referendum on political parties, saying it is a waste of scarce resources, the controversial Ush30 billion ($16 million) photographic voter register identification system is for the first time to be used countrywide.

Sources at the Electoral Commission (EC) – which in the past has been criticised over spending large sums on the electronic voters' register and then failing to implement it for crucial elections – said that the register is now ready and will be used countrywide.

The photographic voters register was supposed to be used during the presidential election of 2001 but was suspended, as some photographs were not appearing on the register and on those which did, some data was missing. Delays in having the system in place had been blamed in part on the different interests at play, with some people, especially those benefiting from the manual register, being accused of frustrating it.

An electronic voters' register has since 2000 been among President Yoweri Museveni's priorities, aimed at ridding the national voters' roll of ghost voters. Double registration of voters has often resulted in multiple voting and claims of rigging during elections.

Sam Rwakoojo, Secretary to the EC, told The EastAfrican, "We shall soon start displaying the register so that people can come up and cross-check their names."

He said the countrywide use of the photographic voters' register would reduce complaints about malpractices. It would also be hard to manipulate, added.

Some legislators and the opposition are opposed to the referendum, saying that the cost, at $16 million, is exorbitant and unnecessary, since both the government and the opposition have shown that they want an immediate return to multiparty politics.

"We think it is a waste of money, given that we all agree the time is ripe for a return to multiparty politics," Democratic Party (DP), spokesperson, Jude Mbabali told The EastAfrican.

DP president Paul Semwogerere has already indicated that his party may not participate in the plebiscite, saying it is a fundamental right to belong to a political party. 

President Museveni abolished political parties in 1986 when he took power after a five-year guerilla war. The parties' operations were limited to their headquarters, and they were not allowed to hold delegates' conferences to elect officials.

However, since last year, there has been a general consensus among the political parties and Museveni's Movement system. They all agree that it is time to go multiparty after the expiry of President Museveni's five-year term in 2006.

Ugandans are likely to go to the referendum in January 2005 to decide whether to return to multiparty system, and whether President Museveni can stand for a third term.

A constitutional review commission that finished its work four months ago recommended that a referendum be held between July 2004 and June 2005 to decide whether the constitution should be amended to enable the president to stand for more than the constitutional limit of two five-year terms. 

President Museveni and the NRM favour amendments to the constitution so that the president can stand any number of times. At the same time, the NRM says it is making a concession of sorts by moving to free parties.

In spite of criticism of the proposed referendum, the government insists it will go ahead with it since it is provided for in the 1995 constitution.

The EC, however, says it is short of its budget by up to Ush4 billion ($2 million). "Our budget was Ush34 billion ($18 million) but we were only allocated Ush30 billion ($16 million). We will definitely be affected by the shortfall," said another official at the electoral commission. The 2000 referendum on the political parties had 51 per cent participation.

Additional reporting by Gertrude Kamuze
 

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