As Uganda is remaining with less than 30 days to the polling date slated for January 14, the Electoral Commission has received the first batch of the ballot papers to be used in the forthcoming general elections.

The first batch of ballot papers that landed on Entebbe Airport on December, 9, 2020 included those for District Women representatives in Parliament and declaration forms for District Women Councillors.

The Electoral Commission Chairman Justice Byabakama while witnessing the delivery revealed that ballot papers for presidential candidates shall come at once and are expected to arrive in the country on December 10, 2020 at around 1:15 pm from the United Arab Emirates.

It should be noted that the Presidential and legislative elections are scheduled for 14 January 2021.

Mr. Byabakama stated that the ballots issued concern seven regions, including Kampala, Elgon, the north, the West Nile and the south-west.

“The ballots arrived at 6pm in 116 pallets weighing 40 tonnes. The consignment is for seven regions,” Justice Byabakama said.

However, he was unable to tell how many ballots were in the pallets. He said he was going to figure it out today.

Meanwhile, we’ve learnt that Voting slips were printed by Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC at a consignment cost of Shs9.7b.

The cost of delivery only amounted to about 2 billion shillings.

The printing of ballot papers was done by foreign companies in United Kingdom, South Africa and UAE.

Justice Byabakama stated that the South African company printing the ballots informed them that they were about to complete the work and deliver it to Uganda and soon as possible.