Kichuguu
Platinum Member
- Oct 11, 2006
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THE National Electoral Commission (NEC) has said it has no obligation to pay polling agents overseeing the forthcoming elections.
In his reaction to NCCR-Mageuzis demand that the commission must pay the polling agents, NEC Director of Elections Mr Rajabu Kiravu said the payment was the responsibility of political parties.
He, however, said the agents will have to take an oath of confidentiality before the commission as required by the electoral laws. Taking the oath did not mean the agents or any other party involved in the electoral process automatically become part of the commission.
NEC has no obligation on polling agents. These are political party or candidates representatives at polling stations. They will only take the oath as they will be fulfilling the requirements of electoral laws, noted Mr Kiravu.
But the NCCR-Mageuzis Head of Organization, Campaigns and Elections, Mr Faustin Sungura, argues on contrary saying NEC has the responsibility over the polling agents' allowances because the latter serve under the commission. Once the agents take an oath of confidentiality under NEC, it is clear that these people automatically become part of the electoral commission. Moreover, the government cannot hire someone for a sensitive job without pay, Mr Sungura said expressing disappointment over NECs announcement that they will not pay the agents.
When asked why the commission made the announcement, Mr Kiravu said: We were just reminding political parties of their obligation to pay their agents, most importantly NEC has no agreement with any political party to take care of the agents.
According to electoral laws, people overseeing or supervising the electoral process which include voting, vote counting and announcing election results, take oath of confidentiality.
Such people include moderators, supervisors and assistant supervisors. NCCR - Mageuzi has threatened to take court action against NEC if it would not pay political party agents.
However, the party has advised all appointed agents to execute their roles accordingly while the issue of their allowances is sorted out. Meanwhile, NCCR-Mageuzi has cried foul over opposition camps violation of agreements.
We agreed to support the chairmen of all opposition parties running for parliament as a way of restoring our relations, said Mr Sungura. If the agreement was honoured, other opposition parties would have not fielded candidates to contest against NCCR-Chairman Mr James Mbatia. In the same spirit, NCCR-Mageuzi did not field candidates in Vunjo, Hai, Ilala, and Bariadi East constituencies to support the chairmen of opposition parties.
He urged opposition members to vote for their chairmen.
Only rich political parties are served by this electoral commission