Uganda electoral commission delegation led by the Deputy Chairperson, Hajat Aisha Lubega, is in Ghana to observe their Presidential Elections scheduled for this Saturday 7th December.
The visit serves as a valuable opportunity to benchmark best practices in electoral management and to inform preparations for Uganda’s forthcoming general elections.
“Election observations are very critical, because they enable electoral management bodies to benchmark, to look at the best practices, to learn about what is done in other places that they may adopt to Our own situations. But also it enables the commission to see our own best practices and how they compare with how the the commissions in other places do it.” He said
He noted that electoral Commission of Uganda is part of the broader network of African election management bodies, and as part of peer support. The election management bodies participate through observation in other each other’s elections.
“They share and discuss areas of mutual interest. They look at common issues, common challenges, common opportunities, and how solutions are obtained to address a number of issues that emerge during elections. So this exercise of the Electoral Commission of Uganda team being in in Ghana is within that broader spectrum of sharing best practices.
General elections will be held on 7 December 2024 to elect the president and members of Parliament.
Incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo, having completed his constitutional term limits, is ineligible for re-election.
The current vice-president, Mahamudu Bawumia, and a former head of state, John Mahama, are the two leading candidates in contention to win the poll.
Nearly 18.8 million Ghanaians registered to vote will be able to take part in the country’s ninth general election since multiparty politics was reintroduced in the early 1990s.
In the last 30 years, the country has had a series of closely fought but peaceful polls.
Ghana has a reputation for the orderly transfer of power between administrations.
On polling day, two elections, President and Members of Parliament will be taking place simultaneously.
12 candidates are contesting for Presidency.