As the country readies for the much anticipated LC 1 elections , civil servants in central and local governments, including teachers, health workers, administrative staff and extension workers who have not resigned 30 days before the election date of July 28th, are not eligible to contest in the coming local council polls.
The minister of local government, Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi, in a statement issued in Kampala , said thus , ” the Ministry wishes to remind all public officers, Electoral Commission officials, District Election Administrators, Returning Officers, local government leaders and the general public that public officers are required to maintain political neutrality in the discharge of their official duties and are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities. It is important to note that contesting for any political office in the multiparty political system entails the articulation of a political agenda or belonging to a political party and hence is participation in a partisan political activity in every sense.”
Under section 129(5)of the Local Governments Act, Cap. 138, a Public Officer, a person employed in any department or agency of Government, an employee of a Local Council or an employee of a body in which government has a controlling interest, who wishes to stand for Election to a Local Council Office shall resign his or her office at least thirty days before nomination day in accordance with the procedure of the service or employment to which he or she belongs. This is intended to ensure all Public Officers remain politically neutral in the performance of their duties and do not engage in partisan political activities that would compromise the impartiality of the Public Service.
The ministry urged all public officers “to uphold the integrity, impartiality and professionalism of the Public Service. Public officers play a vital role in delivering essential services to the people of Uganda and must remain nonpartisan while in office.”
