Uganda

Section 7, subsection 3 states:

A person who has undertaken under section 37 to assist a blind, illiterate, or other voter with disability to vote, shall not communicate at any time to another person information as to the candidate for whom the assisted voter intends to vote or has voted, or as to the number, if any, on the ballot paper given for the use of that voter.

Section 8 states:

(2) There shall be the following representatives of special interest groups in Parliament of the purposes of article 78(1)(c) of the Constitution--…

• (d) for persons with disabilities, there shall be five representatives, at least one of whom shall be a woman…

(4) The following provisions shall apply to district women representatives and special interest groups referred to in subsection (2)---(e) the representatives of persons with disabilities shall be elected by an electoral college of representatives of such persons from each district in a manner prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under section 100.

Section 29, subsection 1 states:

Every polling station shall, as far as possible be located in an open ground or where there is no open ground, in large premises of convenient access having an outside door for the admittance of voters, and, if possible, another door through which voters may leave after voting and the polling station shall, as far as possible, be such as to facilitate access by persons with disabilities and the aged.

Section 30, subsection 7 states:

Where for the purposes of subsection (5)(d)

• (a) the voter has no thumb on the right hand, the process specified in that paragraph shall be applied to the finger nearest to the position of the thumb on the voter’s right hand;
• (b) the voter has no right hand, the process shall be applied to the left hand;
• (c) a voter has no fingers on the left or right hand, the voter may dip the tip of any hand into the indelible ink; or
• (d) the voter has no hands, the process shall be applied to any other conspicuous part of the voter’s body as a polling assistant may determine.

Section 33, subsection 2 states:

The presiding officer may allow expectant mothers, old or sickly voters or voters with disabilities and persons required for essential duties to vote without waiting in the line of voters.

Section 37 states:

(1) Where a voter is by reason of blindness, illiteracy, old age or any other disability unable to fix the authorized mark of choice on the ballot paper, that voter may report at the polling station accompanied by a person of his or her choice to assist the voter to fix the authorized mark of choice on the ballot paper if necessary, on the voter’s behalf; or the voter may, subject to sub section (4), request another person present at the polling station to assist that voter for the purpose.

(2) It shall be lawful for any member of the voter’s family to assist a voter under subsection (1) notwithstanding the fact that the former is below the age of eighteen years.

(3) A presiding officer shall refuse to allow a person to assist a voter to vote unless that officer is satisfied that it is permitted under subsection (1).

(4) An election officer, a candidate’s agent or an observer at any polling station is not permitted to assist any voter with disability under subsection (1).

(5) A person who is not authorized to assist any voter to mark the ballot paper under subsection (1) unless the voter has voluntarily requested the assistance

Section 38, subsection 1 states:

The Commission may make special provision for the taking of the votes of patients in hospitals, or persons admitted in sanatoria or homes for the aged and similar institutions and also for persons in restricted areas such as soldier and other security personnel, but the Commission shall publish in the Gazette a list of the restricted areas under this section.

Section 78 states:

An election officer, or other person having any duty to perform in relation to an election who--…

• (b) permits any person whom he or she knows or has reasonable cause to believe not to be a person with a disability under subsection (1) of section 37 to vote in the manner provided for such persons under that subsection;
• (c) refuses to permit any person whom he or she knows or has reasonable cause to believe not to be a person with a disability under subsection (1) of section 37 to vote in the manner provided for such persons under that subsection…commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred and twenty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.

Excerpts from the Parliamentary Elections Act (2005)

Section 7, subsection (4) states:

A person who has undertaken under section 38 to assist a blind, illiterate or other voter with disability to vote, shall not communicate at any time to another person information as to the candidate for whom the assisted voter intends to vote or has voted, or as to the number, if any, on the ballot paper given for the use of the voter.

Section 30, subsection (1) states:

Every polling station shall, as far as possible, be located in an open ground, or where there is no open ground, in large premises of convenient access, having an outside door for the admittance of voters, and, if possible, another door through which voters may leave after voting and the polling station shall, as far as possible, be such as to facilitate access by persons with disabilities and the aged.

Section 34, subsection (2) states:

The presiding officer may allow expectant mothers, old or sickly voters or voters with disabilities and persons required for essential duties to vote without waiting in the line of voters.

Section 38 states:

(1) Where a voter is by reason of blindness, illiteracy, old age or any other disability unable to fix the authorised mark of choice on the ballot paper, that voter may report at the polling station accompanied by a person of his or her choice to assist the voter to fix the authorised mark of choice on the ballot paper if necessary, on the voter’s behalf; or the voter may, subject to sub section (4), request another person present at the polling station to assist that voter for the purpose.

(2) It shall be lawful for any member of a voter’s family to assist a voter under subsection (1) notwithstanding the fact that the former is below the age of eighteen years.

(3) A person shall not assist more than one voter to vote under subsection (1) in the election.

(4) A presiding officer shall refuse to allow a person to assist a voter to vote unless that officer is satisfied that it is permitted under subsection (1).

(5) An election officer, a candidate’s agent or an observer at any polling station is not permitted to assist any voter with disability under subsection (1).

(6) A person is not authorised to assist any voter to mark the ballot paper under subsection (1) unless the voter has voluntarily requested that assistance…

Section 39, subsection (1) states:

The Commission may make special provision for the taking of the votes of patients in hospitals, or persons admitted in sanatoria or homes for the aged and similar institutions and also for persons in restricted areas such as soldiers and other security personnel, but the Commission shall publish in the Gazette a list of the restricted areas under this section.

Section 74 states:

An election officer, or other person having any duty to perform in relation to an election who—

• (b) permits any person whom he or she knows or has reasonable cause to believe not to be a person with disability under subsection (1) of section 38 to vote in the manner provided for such persons under that subsection;
• (c) refuses to permit any person whom he or she knows or has reasonable cause to believe to be a person with disability under subsection (1) of section 38 to vote in the manner provided for such a person under that subsection…commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred and twenty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.

Excerpts from the Presidential Elections Act (2005)

Article 59, clause 4 states:

Parliament shall make laws to provide for the facilitation of citizens with disabilities to register and vote.

Excerpt from the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995, amended 2005)