The initial ten election symbols approved by the Electoral Commission for independent candidates are not enough as more candidates opt to stand on independent tickets after missing out on party tickets.

The approved symbols are bicycle, pot, clock, chair, saucepan, table, cup, radio, kettle and ball. These symbols have been already exhausted by the local government direct councillors in some electoral areas.

The returning officer for Makindye, a Kampala suburb, Ivan Munanura says in some electoral areas, they have already exceeded the number of candidates who are supposed to use the available independent symbols originally approved by the national EC.

“Recently, because of that pressure of independents being many in this race, the Electoral Commission approved more 10 symbols to be added in case we exhaust the first ones. Unlike in the past, this election has attracted more candidates than before, and I think some people have been disappointed in their political party primaries, they have decided to go independent…You find in an electoral area, on top of the party-sponsored candidates say like 5 of them from the political parties, you have more than 10 independent candidates on the same post,” Munanura said. 

The policy states that in the same electoral area, not more than one candidate can use the same symbol in an election. In the circumstances, the EC has had to come up with emergency symbols namely: television, mobile phone, house, a bunch of bananas, boat, candle, jerrican, loudspeaker, motor vehicle and a tree.

Munanura says starting Tuesday, they will start using these new symbols for the electoral areas of Kibuye 11, Ggaba D and A.

Meanwhile, the EC on Monday started nominating candidates for divisional mayors with four being nominated so far out of the 14 aspirants who picked nomination forms for mayoral position. Nominated so are; incumbent Ali Kasirye Nganda Mulyanyama, Munaaba Perus, Ali Ahamed Zikusooka and Muzafuluh Kiyemba.

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