EC casts fresh doubt on 2021 elections

The Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Mr Jacob Oboth Oboth, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, said they will ensure the Finance ministry avails all the needed funds in time.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has cast fresh doubt on the 2021 General Election, citing reluctance by government to release the required funds to implement the roadmap and organise credible elections.

While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs yesterday, the EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, said the amount they have is only enough to conduct presidential nominations. He said to organise proper elections, the commission needs Shs518.9b.

“As it stands, what we have is only enough to take us up to the presidential nominations. Remember we need to print ballot papers, we need to procure election materials, specialised equipment, systems, procurement of biometric voter verification systems and others. All these need money, which we have not got up to now,” he said.

“We have come to present the challenges we are having as the EC. We have told the committee of Parliament that we need these funds urgently in order to operationalise our electoral roadmap. For us to effectively prepare for 2021, the combined resources we need for this financial year and the next financial year come down to Shs518.944b,” he added.

Justice Byabakama said their appeal is that the money is released in time. He said the commission has already undertaken demarcation of the electoral areas and the reorganisation of the polling stations, adding that they have already undertaken the update of the national voters’ register.

The EC boss further said the next activity will be the display of the national voters’ register in all the polling stations across the country.

“We do not have to complete one activity with the money available and then say before we embark on the next activity, we first wait for money to come. We are saying let us have that money, let us have those resources available for a proper, meaningful, effective preparatory process,” he said.

Worrying trend
Mr Sam Rwakoojo, the secretary to the commission, said there will be no elections if the status quo remains as it is.

“As it stands as of today, if government does not release money, we shall not have any elections, because there will be no resources to manage the remaining processes,” he said.

Mr Jacob Oboth Oboth, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, said they will ensure the Finance ministry avails all the needed funds in time.

“I am going to call the Finance ministry officials to come here. No one should go out of this room proclaiming that there will be no elections. We shall make sure all resources are availed in time to organise the elections,” he said.
Other members of the committee all pledged to rally behind the EC to demand for more funds.