The ongoing Village Local Council voter verification exercise has registered a low turnout in parts of Old Mulago, raising concerns among election officials over inadequate public sensitization.
Some village election officials have attributed the poor response to weak mobilization efforts by the Electoral Commission and local leaders.
A visit by this reporter to the Triangle Zone registration desk in Mulago II Parish, Kawempe Division, found only a handful of residents verifying their registration despite the area’s large voting population.
The Village Council election officer for Triangle Zone, Brenda Nalwanga, said the turnout has remained disappointing since the exercise began on Monday.
Nalwanga blamed the situation on what she described as poor community mobilization by the area’s LC I Secretary for Mobilization, who allegedly failed to use the Village Health Teams (VHTs) public address megaphones to inform residents about the verification exercise.
“Since my deployment here on Monday morning, the Triangle Zone Secretary for Mobilization has not taken advantage of the Village Health Teams’ megaphone to remind and encourage residents to visit the verification centre and confirm their registration status,” Nalwanga said.
She urged residents to use the remaining days before the exercise closes on Friday to verify their voter registration, warning that the government is unlikely to extend the exercise.
Nalwanga also commended local council leaders for the support they have provided, noting that the training she received before deployment had enabled her to effectively engage residents without any incidents.
Meanwhile, residents called on the Electoral Commission to intensify public awareness campaigns across all media platforms to ensure more eligible voters participate in the ongoing verification exercise.
