2016 elections

President Yoweri Museveni has said Uganda will be importing thumbprint machines for use during the 2016 elections to identify voters and eliminate the stealing of votes and double voting.

The east African nation is three years away from electing fresh leadership into political power.

“In future all that will stop. We are importing machines for thumb printing in 2016,” said Museveni.

“We shall use thumbprints to know who this is and if you try to steal, the machine will throw you out.”

He was officially flagging off the NRM flag bearer for Butebo Constituency Dr. Patrick Mutono in an NRM conference held at Butebo sub county headquarters in Pallisa district on Saturday.

The area seat fell vacant following the death of its MP Dr. Stephen Malinga – also the minister of disaster preparedness – in April.

The President warned members against supporting independent candidates.

“Independents will cause you problems, because they have no room in our caucus meeting, yet this is where most of the decisions are made.

“Unless you are just giving them a chance to fight their individual poverty,” he said.

Also the party chairman, Museveni hailed those who conceded defeat in the party primaries and did not stand as independents, adding that it’s a symbol of respect for party interests as opposed to individual wishes.

He reaffirmed the party’s position in respect to the recently expelled NRM ‘rebel’ MPs from the party, warning that despite their delaying tricks, they will leave the party. 

Party leaders were called on to support Dr. Mutono so that he can act as a conduit for all their issues directly in the party caucus meetings. 

The president explained that despite government being responsible for providing essential basic infrastructure such as roads, health centers, and power among others, specific regional issues are addressed in party caucus meetings as presented by the respective legislators, thus asking them to stick to the party official candidate.