Uganda Electoral commission has today declared that there will be week of national prayers for the 2011 presidential and general elections.
The Electoral Commission has indicated that the week-long national prayers are meant to ensure that the elections go on peacefully without bloodshed.
Meanwhile at least 23 people have picked nominations forms to stand for presidency in the elections scheduled to take place in February 2011.
According to the Uganda Electoral Commission chairman, Sulaiman Kigundu, it is “one way of promoting the virtues of tolerance and peaceful co-existence before, during and after the 2011 general elections”.
The national prayer week scheduled for 18th-24th October, 2010 is expected to bring all Ugandans together. “We should work collectively to ensure peaceful elections” says Kigundu.
Despite the Electoral Commission chairman’s declaration that “23 people intend to stand for presidency” it is too early to know how many among the 23 will be eligible to contest the presidency.
“It is their constitutional right. We will provide for the 23 people if they fulfill all the conditions to stand. It is a constitutional obligation,” he confirmed.
Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, recently announced that he will stand in the elections. This should be his 4th time as presidential candidate.
