Electoral Commission starts hearing voter complaints
EC spokesperson Julius Muchunguzi. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Uganda will hold general elections early next year.
The parish electoral tribunals have started hearing complaints arising from the recently concluded voter register display across the country after the display exercise closed on May 15.
The 10-day exercise kicked off on May 16, a day after the closure of the display, and will end on May 26. Mr Julius Muchunguzi, the Electoral Commission (EC) spokesperson, said the 10 days will give people with complaints time to register their issues with the tribunal, which will take them up for further management.
“This exercise of the display of what has come out, the complaints and concerns, and issues that have emerged out of the display of the National Voters Register will now be displayed at each parish or each ward across the country. And the display of these outcomes will be for 10 days,” he said. He added that the purpose of displaying the concerns, comments, and complaints that have risen out of the display exercise is to enable the parish tribunals to listen to the complaints from people who have issues with their names, including those who have been removed from the voter register erroneously.
Exercise continues
At least 38,315 polling stations across the country were expected to display the names and particulars of all those who registered across the country to participate in the forthcoming general elections. While the Commission said the exercise was successful, at least 620 polling stations started the exercise late because of technical glitches with the registration kits.
Mr Muchunguzi, however, said for polling stations that experienced such delays at the beginning, an extension has been given to them to complete the exercise as stipulated in the law.
“The Commission indicated at that time that those 620 polling stations, once they commence their display of the National Voters’ Register, that they too would also have the opportunity to display the voters register at those polling stations for the statutory 21 days that are provided.
And accordingly, the commission would like to inform the public that these 620 polling stations commenced the display exercise on the 30th of April. And accordingly, for these 620 polling stations, the exercise of the display of the National Voters Register continues up to the 26th of May 2025,” he said.
The Commission rolled out the display exercise after the initial update of the National Voters Register, with registration of new voters and those who wanted to change their voting locations.
