Uganda: Guidelines for New Busoga Kyabazinga Election Released

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The Monitor (Kampala)

11 October 2008
Posted to the web 11 October 2008

Solomon Muyita
Jinja

Busoga Kingdom has issued strict draft guidelines for the October 31 election of the new Kyabazinga of Busoga. Saturday Monitor has learnt that the guidelines have been designed to automatically eliminate fake or multiple candidacy from one chiefdom.

Busoga kings are elected from five of the 11 hereditary chiefdoms hailing from the Babiito (Baise Ngobi) chiefs, believed to be from the lineage of the Omukama of Bunyoro.

The six-page document seen by Saturday Monitor was on Tuesday circulated to the 11 Royal hereditary chiefs who vote the Kyabazinga for perusal. The Royal Chiefs' Council meets on October 14 to discuss the document and suggest possible amendments.

According to the draft a quorum, eight of the 11 Royal Chiefs is enough to proceed with the election. The newly elected Isabalangira (chairman of the Royal Chief's Council), Daudi Kawunhe Muluya Wakhooli, is expected to verify the authenticity of all the 11 chiefs and send their names to the Kingdom prime minister (Katukiro) by October 22.

"The eligible voters must be physically present for purposes of voting [and] shall be able to identify themselves using identity cards, voters' cards, driving permit or passport," reads the draft guideline.

The Katukiro, Mr Wilson Muwereza, who will be the returning officer in the election process, has the mandate to delegate any of his duties to any member of the Busoga cabinet. Mr Muwereza told Saturday Monitor that there is no campaign period on the programme, so it was up to the aspiring candidates to find a way of mobilising their colleagues for support.

To become eligible as candidate for the Kyabazingaship, aspiring candidates are required to personally buy the Candidate Registration Form B1 at a proposed Shs250,000 from the Katukiro by October 17. Each candidate has to be certified by two members representing his chiefdom in the Busoga Lukiiko, also by his clan head.

The forms, which are to be filled in triplicate should be returned to the Isabalangira for verification by October 22. The Isabalangira is required to submit forms to the Katukiro at least seven days to the Kyabazinga elections by October 24 for confirmation of the successful nominees or rejection of candidates that fail to meet the criteria.

For a candidate to withdraw from the race after confirmation, they have to notify the Isabalangira in writing, who then communicates to the Katukiro, and the candidates' names are then eliminated from the candidates list.

The Kyabazinga elections were originally scheduled for October 3, but they were postponed to October 31, because Mr James Christopher Nkono, who was Isabalangira at the time declared that he had joined the race for Kyabazingaship. The Royal Chiefs had not also discussed the procedure to be followed in the elections, besides the lacking logistical issues, said Mr Muwereza.

Should any of the candidates die after they are confirmed by the Katukiro, the election can once again be postponed, indicates the draft guidelines. The other scenario that can lead to a postponement is where none of the candidates meets the set candidacy requirements, and the Isabalangira would have to call another Royal Chiefs meeting to map the way forward.

On election day, the candidates will be given a chance to briefly talk about themselves after their names are read out by the Isabalangira. Voting is to be by show of hands, strictly by the chiefs who will be present.

The Katukiro would then count the votes and hand the results to the Isabalangira for declaration. Where candidates tie in the votes, the Isabalangira has the prerogative of casting a decisive vote for a candidate of his choice, whom he would shortly after declare to the Chief's Council, and eventually to the Busoga Lukiiko.

A new Kyabazinga has to be introduced to the Busoga Lukiiko within 21 days after the elections. "The speaker shall then fill Form B5 for approval of the Isebantu Kyabazinga signed by at least seven chiefs," read the draft guidelines.

After the Lukiiko process, the Kyabazinga elect is required to formerly accept his appointment to the Isabalangira within the next 30 days, before he commences on his duties. Enthronement of the Kyabazinga follows that within the next nine months.

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