The Electoral Commission has extended the voter registration and verification exercise for 2020/2021 general elections barely a day to the initial deadline.
The general update exercise started on November 21, 2019 and was scheduled to close December 11, 2019.
EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, in a statement issued on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, said they have decided to extend the exercise up to Monday 16th December 2019 due to a high numbers of applicants and requests from key stakeholders.
“Due to higher numbers of applicants at the update centers since the beginning of this week, and requests from key stakeholders in the electoral process, the Electoral Commission has found it necessary and taken a decision to extend the update period, which was scheduled to close on Wednesday 11th December 2019, for five (5) more days, starting from Thursday 12th and ending Monday 16th December 2019, after which, there will be no further extension,” Justice Byabakama said.
The EC chairperson urged all eligible Ugandans to embrace the exercise, saying there will be no further extension.
“This is not a fresh registration of voters but an exercise to enable Ugandan citizens who have attained the age of 18 years and above and who have not yet registered to register as voters in order to participate in elections,” he said.
The EC chairperson also noted that there are allegations of extortion of money by some local leaders and update officials from applicants in order to sign on their applications before processing the applications.
“This is illegal, and the Commission strongly condemns it. The Commission has provided all necessary forms (for application as a voter, or application for transfer) free of charge. The Commission calls on all officials involved in this update exercise to desist from any acts that may frustrate eligible applicants from exercising their constitutional right to apply for registration as voters,” he said.
