By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has asked courts to replace letter of introduction from the Local Council One Chairperson with the use of National IDs as a condition for bail application.
“Courts should have Biometric system machines where applicants and their sureties can press their fingerprints to capture their details and get printouts,” FDC proposed
This follows expiration of the term of office for all Local Council 1 & 2 Chairpersons across the country due today (July 10) at midnight.
John Kikonyogo, the party spokesperson says they are envisaging a situation where applicants and sureties will present letters of LC1 and it’s rejected by the representative of the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on grounds of invalidation because the issuing authority is expired.
He says the condition for introduction letter from the LC1 chairperson is likely to deny many Ugandans their rights to bail since the offices are now unlawful.
Section 170 of the Local Governments Act provides that the Chairpersons Local Councils and Administrative Councils shall be elected every five years.
The current local council one leaders were elected in August 2018 and their term of office expires today Monday July 10. Before 2018, Uganda had taken a period of 16 years without electing Local Council leaders.
Election of the new leaders hangs in balance after the ministry of Local Government failed to get Shs 60 billion required by the Electoral Commission to organize the election.
Raphael Magezi, Local Governments minister says the ministry is in plans to extend the term of office for LC1 and 2 as the ministry is looking for the required funds to conduct the election.
