The Electoral Commission (EC) requires shs 1.3 trillion to organize the next general elections slated for 2026.
The EC Secretary, Leonard Mulekwah on Wednesday relayed how the money will be spent in three phases in the coming electoral cycle.
Shs 195 bn will be spent in the financial year 2023/24; Shs 569bn in the financial year 2024/25 and Shs 622bn in the election year of 2025/26.
“So, we plan to spend a total of 1.367tn to execute the 2026 election roadmap,” said Mulekwah during the launching of EC’s Strategic Plan 2022/2023-2026/2027 and the Roadmap for the 2025/2026 General Elections at Hotel Africana.
The launch was presided over by Prime Minister Hon Robinah Nabbanja and Justice Minister Hon Norbert Mao who threw their weight behind the Electoral Commission to be able to organize a free and fair election.
Nabbanja, as a leader of government business said she would use her position to ensure the commission gets funds from government.
In his speech the chairman of EC Justice Simon Byabakama said; “as you are aware, the Electoral Commission is established under Article 60 of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. Under Article 61 of the same Constitution the Commission is mandated to, among others, ensure that regular, free, and fair elections and referenda are held.”
“Since our establishment by the Constitution, the Commission has organized and conducted six (6) general elections (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021) as well as two referenda on political systems (2000 and 2005), and several Parliamentary and Local Government Councils elections and by-elections.”
Byabakama added that the the Strategic Plan launched yesterday is a result of extensive research and stakeholder consultation, following the conclusion of the 2020/2021 General Elections, the Commission conducted Post-Election Evaluation workshops across the Country with various key stakeholders in the electoral process.
“The stakeholders gave us their own honest assessments on how the electoral process and the conduct of the 2020/2021 General Elections were done.”