The officials of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party have revealed that part of the cash generated during the nomination exercises from members will be used to finance the printing of the ballot papers ahead of the national elections.
In July this year, NRM party introduced nomination fees for all persons seeking to contest in party primaries.
Persons vying for the presidency and for the position of National Chairman of the party paid Shs10 million each, persons seeking nomination for parliamentary seats paid Shs2million, while those seeking the District Chairman’s flag paid a nomination fee of Shs1million.
The five eminent persons appointed to the Central Executive Committee of NRM will also be required to pay an acceptance fee of Shs2 million each, while aspirants for the Lord Mayors post will pay a nomination fee of Shs1.5 million.
This forms part of the new guidelines for aspirants, party primaries, elections management and dispute resolution.
Mr Richard Todwong, the Deputy Secretary General of the party says, “We will go into primary elections and that requires some election materials such as secret ballot papers to be procured.”
He noted that on top of other contributions which are made by NRM supporters, charging the nomination fees was one of the appropriate means by which the party can generate funds.
Todwong explained that in such internal democratic processes, they will have to procure ballot papers to carry out the elections ahead of the 2016 general elections.
He noted that in order to avoid fronting many candidates, the primary elections will cater for such problems.
Citing Aswa County in Gulu district were six aspirants have expressed interest in replacing the incumbent Member of Parliament Mr Reagan Okumu, Todwong says it is only the party primaries which enable them to zero on one candidate.
During the announcement at NRM party headquarters in Kampala, Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairman said all registered party members who meet national requirements will be eligible for nomination upon payment of the new fees.
Odoi told reporters at the NRM party head office that the development seeks to eliminate non serious persons from the race prior to nominations.
