Former President of Botswana to lead Observers for Uganda Elections

An advance group, consisting of Dr Roopnaraine and a member of the staff support team, has been present in Uganda since 4 February.The Observers have been invited in their individual capacities and the views they express regarding the elections will be their own and not those either of their respective Governments or of the Commonwealth Secretariat.They will be backed by a nine-strong Secretariat staff support team led by Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Director of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat.The full Observer Group will start work on 14 February 2006. The Chair will hold a press conference at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Kampala, on Tuesday, 14 February at 2.30 pm.    

Note to Editors:

The Commonwealth Secretary-General sent a Commonwealth Secretariat Assessment Mission to Uganda in January 2006. This established that there would be broad support from the political parties and civil society for the presence of Commonwealth Observers.

The Terms of Reference for the Observer Group are as follows:
"The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Government of Uganda. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections scheduled to take place on 23 February 2006, in accordance with the laws of Uganda. It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people.  "

The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections."

The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Uganda, the Electoral Commission, the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth Governments."For media information, please contact Daniel Woolford, Commonwealth Observer Group, at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, Tel: +256 41 344 590/6; Fax: +256 41 256 696; Mobile +256 (0)772 181 904 (from Sunday 12 February).  

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