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Ugandan Parliamentary Candidates Say Nomination Fee Too High

Halima Athumani

   KAMPALA - Candidates in Uganda's upcoming parliamentary elections have
   until Thursday to pay a nomination fee of a little more than $800 to
   the Electoral Commission. However, some don't have the money, forcing
   political parties to appeal for support on social media.

   Last week, Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as the singer Bobi Wine,
   asked his followers on social media to financially support
   parliamentary candidates running under his National Unity Platform
   party.

   He said that as the nomination period draws to a close, the party has
   many candidates, especially from western and northern Uganda, who risk
   being unable to run because they don't have the required three million
   shillings, equal to about $800.

   Wine accused President Yoweri Museveni and his allies of making it
   expensive to run for office "simply to lock out the opposition."

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