The Ministry of Local Government has warned public servants seeking elective office in the ongoing Local Council (LC) elections that they are ineligible to contest unless they have formally resigned from public service in accordance with the law.
“The Ministry of Local Government is concerned about reports regarding Public Officers in Local Governments, including Teachers, Health Workers, Administrative Staff, Extension Workers and other Public Servants, who have expressed interest in contesting or are participating in the ongoing Administrative Unit Elections (Local Council I and Local Council II) while continuing to hold Public Office,”Balaam said.
“The Ministry wishes to remind all Public Officers, Electoral Commission officials, District Election Administrators, Returning. Officers, Local Government leaders and the general public that Public Officers are required to maintain political neutrality in the discharge of their official duties and are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities. It is important to note that contesting for any Political Office in the multiparty political system entails the articulation of a political agenda or belonging to a political party and hence, is participation in a partisan political activity in every sense,”he stated.
Article 176 of the Constitution establishes Local Governments as units at Government. Consequently, a person serving in a Local Government is a Public Officer within the meaning of the Constitution and the Public Service Standing Orders, 2021 and is subject to the laws and regulations governing the Public Service.
The Ministry further reminded all the concerned persons that under section 129(5)of the Local Governments Act, Cap. 138, a Public Officer, a person employed in any department or agency of Government, an employee of a Local Council or an employee of a body in which government has a controlling interest, who wishes to stand for Election to a Local Council Office shall resign his or her office at least thirty days before nomination day in accordance with the procedure of the service or employment to which he or she belongs. This is intended to ensure all Public Officers remain politically neutral in the performance of their duties and do not engage in partisan political activities that would compromise the impartiality of the Public Service.
The Ministry urged all public officers to uphold the integrity, impartiality and professionalism of the Public Service. Public officers play a vital role in delivering essential services to the people of Uganda and must remain nonpartisan while in office.
“The Ministry will continue to work closely with the Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Public Service, the Public Service Commission, District Service Commissions, Chief Administrative Officers and other relevant authorities to ensure full compliance with the law.
The Ministry further calls upon all eligible voters to turn up in large numbers, vote peacefully, and exercise their constitutional right to choose their leaders,”Balaam stressed.
The directive comes as campaigns intensify ahead of the July 28 Local Council I and II elections, following the conclusion of nominations, with thousands of candidates traversing villages to seek support from voters.
In a statement issued on July 22, Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi said the ministry had received reports of teachers, health workers, administrative staff, extension workers and other government employees participating in the elections while still holding public offices.
“The ministry has received reports that teachers, health workers, administrative staff, extension workers and other government employees are participating in the elections while still holding public office,” Balaam said.
The minister reminded public officers that they are required to maintain political neutrality while serving in government and are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities.
“It is important to note that contesting for any political office in the multiparty political system entails the articulation of a political agenda or belonging to a political party and hence constitutes participation in partisan political activity,” the statement reads.
Uganda is preparing to hold LC I Chairperson, Village Committee and LC II elections on July 28, a grassroots electoral exercise expected to determine leadership at village and parish levels across the country.
