Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC) has awarded contracts to companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK) to print ballot papers for next year’s elections. United Printing and Publishing in Abu Dhabi will print the Presidential and MPs ballots.
In a statement, Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, the EC boss said the Electoral Commission has officially communicated to political parties and candidates participating in the 2021 elections.
“[We wrote to them] inviting them to nominate official agents for accreditation, to travel to the above countries and observe the printing, packing and delivery of these critical electoral materials, at their own cost.” Byabakama said.
The companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are;
1. United Printing and Publishing in Abu Dhabi which will print the ballots for the following groups;
- Presidential Candidates.
- Direct Parliamentally Ballots.
2. Al Ghuraiar Printing and Publishing in Dubai which will print ballots for the following groups;
- District Woman MPs.
- District Woman Councilors.
- LC3 Woman Councilors.
Companies from the UK are:
3. Tall Security Print and Adare Sec Ltd which will print the ballots for;
- Municipality Councilors.
- Special Interest Groups at the District, Municipality and Sub County levels.
- Sub County Chairpersons.
- Sub County Councilors.
4. Another company called Uni Print based in Durban, South Africa will print the ballots for these categories;
- District/ City Chairpersons.
- District/ City Councilors.
- Municipality Chairpersons.
- Municipality Councilors.
The statement from the Electoral Commission comes after some political commentators and leaders insisted that the contract for printing the ballots be given to local companies here in Uganda.
