The Uganda Musicians Association (UMA) has kept the election date of June 28, 2022, and as previously stated, members will have to vote from Kampala at the Uganda National Cultural Center (UNCC) gardens. (UMA Keeps Election Date)
On Wednesday, the UMA Policy Board met with the UNCC, the Minister of Gender, Labor, and Social Development, and the National Culture Forum.
Some of the applicants and their upcountry voters have petitioned the committee to postpone the elections until they have enough funds to organize polls in all corners of the country.
The purpose of the meeting, on the other hand, was to deliberate on the profound implications of a letter written by Mr. Francis Peter Ojede, the Executive Director of UNCC.
Mr. Ojede explained during the meeting that his letter was misinterpreted by a section of the media and some UMA members who mistook it for an announcement to cancel UMA elections.
In a statement issued after the meeting by UMA electoral committee chairperson Godfrey Ekongot, he revealed that Mr. Ojede’s letter unintentionally demobilized UMA members from preparing to vote.
“As the election approaches, the Policy Board felt it was necessary to hold a meeting with its primary stakeholders and partners to streamline election communication.” He spoke.
Hon. Hillary Kiyaga alias Dr. Hilderman, representing the UMA Policy Board, briefed the commissioner on the background of the elections and the key decisions that led to the current election model adopted by the UMA Policy Board.
The board members expressed their various concerns about the implications of the letter’s various interpretations, which they claimed have diluted UMA’s efforts to mobilize its members to vote.
Sylver Kyagulanyi, UMA’s legal counsel, explained to the commissioner the board’s roles and the various sections of the UMA constitution that allow it to organize elections.
He emphasized the importance of acknowledging that UMA is a private organization and that the government should play an appropriate role in assisting the private sector.
According to Ekongot, the commissioner was persuaded by the Policy Board’s explanation of the rationale for holding the elections in Kampala and advised the UMA electoral committee to hold the elections as planned.
In exchange, UNCC promised to issue a press statement clarifying a previously misunderstood communication. (UMA Keeps Election Date – top news 22022)
