The Electoral Commission of Uganda has officially concluded the national exercise for the Display of the National Voters Register, which began on 25th April 2025. The exercise was successfully conducted across most polling stations nationwide, ending on 15th May 2025.
However, in 620 polling stations where technical challenges delayed the start of the display, the Commission announced that the exercise will continue until 20th May 2025, in line with the required 21-day display period. These specific cases began on 30th April 2025.
The Commission also confirmed the end of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) register display, which ran from 25th April to 8th May 2025. This covered registers for youths, older persons, and persons with disabilities at the village level.
No Extension for Display Exercise
The EC emphasized that there will be no extension to the Display exercise, reiterating that its main purpose was to allow voters to verify their particulars and raise objections where necessary.
Members of the public were permitted to report entries on the register for removal, including:
- Deceased individuals,
- Persons under 18 years,
- Persons registered outside their parish of origin,
- Individuals appearing more than once on the register.
The EC also displayed lists of citizens who were registered under the continuous NIRA exercise but had not selected a polling station. This was aimed at assigning appropriate polling locations for these voters.
Next Step: Tribunal to Review Removals and Inclusions
Following the closure of the Display period, the Electoral Commission will now proceed to display the list of all persons recommended for deletion or inclusion by the Tribunal. This will take place from 16th to 26th May 2025 at each Parish/Ward Headquarters. The aim is to give individuals wrongly listed for removal a chance to raise objections.
Tribunals, appointed by area magistrates and consisting of two elders (aged 60 and above) and three other community representatives, will handle the final review of all objections and determine the final decision on inclusion or removal.
Preparation for Final Voters Register and June SIG Elections
After the tribunal process, the EC will retrieve all returns and recommendations to finalize the National Voters Register for the 2025/2026 General Elections. The first electoral event on the roadmap—elections for SIG Committees—is scheduled for June 2025.
The public is encouraged to confirm their registration status on the Electoral Commission website at https://ec.or.ug/register.
Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, commended stakeholders and the public for their cooperation and participation in this critical phase of Uganda’s electoral roadmap. He called on all parties to continue engaging in electoral activities ahead of the 2025/2026 General Elections.
