The High court Civil Division has given Government two weeks to defend itself on over one million Ugandans who have turned 18 years ever since closure of the National Voters Register in December/2019, and are not going to participate in the forthcoming elections.
Justice Musa Ssekaana is presiding over this case where concerned Lawyers from a Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL) led by Nagami Gloria Linda petitioned court seeking declarations that the act of Electoral Commission leaving them out of the register is intended to disenfranchise them.
The Ugandan revelations that over a million Ugandans who just turned 18 were not be allowed to vote in the 2021 general elections came way back in February pitting parliament, civil society and government at loggerheads with the former saying it was a violation of rights.
In it’s response, the Uganda National Electoral Commission said it did not have the resources or time to register new voters as they are busy rolling out the electoral process for the election.
The petitioners also want Court to direct the Electoral Commission (EC) to close the voter registration 6 months to the elections to enable all eligible voters register for the subsequent elections.
The case was coming up today for hearing but State Attorney Mark Muwonge indicated to court that the Attoney General had been served late and was not able to file a response which prompted Justice Ssekaana to give him up to 14th/September/2020 to respond.
A section of political observers say the blocking could be an attempt by government to prevent supporters of the 2021 opposition presidential hopeful Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, from voting.
The popstar-turned-politician boasts a large youth following in Uganda a country considered to have the youngest population in the world, with 77 percent under 25 years of age. The median age in Uganda is 17 years.
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