Over 38,000 candidates have been nominated to contest for the different elective posts in the 2011 general elections. The Electoral commission chairman. Eng. Badru Kiggundu says the candidates will contest for the 18,629 elective posts.
This does not include the category and number of elective positions to be filled by representatives of special interest groups including youth, persons with disabilities, workers and the army.
A list released by the EC today also shows that out of the 443 district women members of parliament, Independents lead with a total number of 187 candidates compared to political parties.
The National resistance movement has 109, Forum for Democratic Change 81, Uganda People's Congress 29 Democratic Party has 17 and Uganda Federal Alliance has 8. Other little known parties have between them 12 candidates.
Nominated candidates for the district chairpersons include 150 Independents, National Resistance Movement 112; Forum for Democratic Change 52, Uganda People's Congress 30 and the Democratic Party 15. The total candidates for district chairperson are 367.
The directly elected members of Parliament nominated for the elections for each party includes 529 Independents, National resistance movement 238, Forum for Democratic Change 189, Uganda People's Congress 102, Conservative party 7, Democratic Party 86 and Uganda Federal Alliance 53. With other little known parties, the total is 1,270.
//Cue in "total number.....
Cue out.... and the army."//
With Independents topping the list of nominated candidates, the National Resistance Movement has since its primary elections been struggling to calm down tensions regarding their status and its impact on the general outcome of elections.
Margaret Muhanga, the spokesperson of in independent candidates says since the party national chairman conceded that some NRM candidates were cheated during the primary election, they are now set for campaigns that kick off today.
Two weeks ago, President Yoweri Museveni warned that the matter of independents should be treated with utmost care.
