The Committee of Parliament on Appointments conducted vetting procedures for the seven nominees recently appointed to the Electoral Commission (EC) by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in a session chaired by Speaker Anita Among.
The nominees under scrutiny are Justice Simon Byamukama as Chairperson, Hajjati Aisha Lubega as Deputy Chairperson, James Peter Emorut, Stephen Tashobya, Anthony Okello (former Kioga County MP), Dr. Simba Ssali (Don of Political Science at Makerere University), and Caroline Bainamaryo.
President Museveni, in a letter dated January 5, 2024, reappointed Justice Byabakama and Hajat Aisha Lubega for another seven-year term. Stephen Tashobya, a former legislator from Kajara County during the ninth Parliament and a lawyer by profession, was also reappointed.
The Commission sees the addition of four new members: Dr. Simba, Okello, Bainamaryo, and Emorut. Curiously, the replacement of Pamela Etonu Okudi and Robert Kasule Sebunya, as mentioned in the President’s letter, with Emorut and Bainamaryo remains unclarified.
Critics, including the National Unity Platform (NUP) party and four-time Presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye, expressed skepticism regarding the appointments. They argue that the appointees are perceived as loyalists of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government. Citing concerns about impartiality, they fear that these individuals may demonstrate allegiance to the appointing authority, potentially influencing the electoral process leading up to the 2026 elections.
