The International Republican Institute and the NGO Link Forum Apac has taken up a proactive step towards raising awareness and building a transparent and democratic platform towards which the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections will be held. This was revealed during a dialogue meeting organized by the International Republican Institute and Apac NGO Link Forum earlier last month at Omodi Hostel in Apac Town.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) is a non partisan, a non-profit organization founded in 1983 with a major focus to advancing Democracy, Freedom, self Government, and the rule of law world wide with major activities enshrined in its core program activities such as building capacity of political parties, opening political space through issue based advocacy, and linking political parties, civil society Organizations (CSOs) and the Electoral Commission (EC).

The Objectives of Dialogue Forum were:

• To dialogue over contentious issues arising from their previous and current plans for voter registration and transfer of voters.
• To share ideas on different models that can be used to improve voter registration, transfer of voters and the display exercise by EC, CSOs, and political parties and
• To develop an action plan to ensure that all stake holders contribute to the success of the ongoing voter registration   process.

In this forum the guest of honor was the Chairman Electoral Commission for Apac District who gave a presentation on the time frame of voter registration, Procedures taken to ensure successful registration, display and reorganization of polling stations, challenges they are facing and highlighted help needed. 

The electoral commission highlighted a number of objectives as part of its core activities for the reorganization of polling stations in Uganda and this included;

·         Ensuring that each parish has got at least one polling station.

·         Where possible Polling stations without optimum numbers of voters are emerged as one polling station like some areas during 2005 election, only 3 people voted in Akokoro Sub County.

·         To split polling station having people over optimum number that is over 800 voters

·         To relocate congested polling stations

·         To rename polling stations.

·         To bring polling stations nearer to the voters

·         To ensure that internally displaced persons are taken back to where they were from with original polling stations they used to vote

·         To locate polling stations where new developments have taken like roads

Uganda came under a multi party political dispensation under the 2005 and 2006 Political Parties and Organisation Act (PPOA) that saw many parties coming up to open branches and compete for elective positions due to the opening of the political space after a long political oblivion of the Movement System that restricted the operations of Political parties in Uganda.

As part of Civil Society Organisation in building and promoting  local democracy ,good governance ,transparency and accountability during electoral process, many of them have come up to ensure that the country’s election is conducted orderly and without malpractice. Other Donor organizations such as Hivos, DFID, MS and Action Aid have supported democratic governance in the country.

NGO Link Forum Apac has been active in promoting democracy and good governance in Apac District. The organization is an umbrella organization and collective voice of civil society organizations operating in Apac District. It was created as a measure to fortify civil society organizations and build its capacity to take up civic participation and partnership in Local Governance Development processes in Apac district, for the improved service delivery.