The Electoral Commission Chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama has expressed worry that the Commission may not be in position to hold smooth 2021 general elections due to failure to inadequacy of funds needed to run the elections.
The call was made by Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson Electoral Commission who had led his team to present the 2020/2021 national budget framework paper to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Thursday, January 16.
Byabakama said, “Unfunded/underfunded priorities include printing of ballot papers, dispatch of polling kits, welfare for polling day officials. Field supervision of polling activities and payment to polling day officials during presidential, parliamentary and local government elections.”
He said the money needed by EC will be used to print ballot papers, dispatch polling kits, cater for the welfare of polling officials, supervision of polling activities, and payment of polling officials during the Presidential Parliamentary and local government elections which are all unfunded priorities.
Byabakama said that in 2019/2020 budget, the Commission was provided Shs140.98Bn out of the required Shs439.46Bn to fund the second phase of the General Election roadmap which resulted in funding gap of Shs298.48Bn bringing the total budget shortfall amount Shs432.68Bn
According to the Auditor General’s report of 2019, the Electoral Commission requires Shs796.8bn to organize Presidential, Parliamentary and local council elections 2020/2021.
The amount is supposed to be released in three phases starting from the 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 to enable proper and timely implementation of the general elections.
However, as at June 30th, 2019, a total of Shs141bn (18%) had been released to implement the activities of 2018/2019 and 2019/200 instead of Shs439bn with one year to the elections.
The activities critical to the roadmap that should have been implemented include; demarcation of electoral areas, re-organization of polling stations, specialized training (ICT, biometrics and due diligences of ICT procurement), voter education, acquisition of biometric voter verification system, developing election document management system, digitizing elections documents and setting up an election digital archive among others.
The Commission is also seeking for Shs72Bn to purchase and partition new offices to pave way for the Jinja flyover.
Sam Rwakoojo, Secretary Electoral Commission also further explained on the funding matter saying, “There is no money to print ballot papers for the general elections and all elections. We need money to print ballot papers. If there are no ballot papers because this is the third and final period. UNRA is asking us to get out of our swamp by January 2020. We don’t have.”
He also highlighted some of the achievements the Commission registered including conducting six elections in new districts, holding nine by-elections, conducting LC1 and women councils, conducting elections for Arua, Sheema and Busia district Chairperson.
During the same time, the EC also demarcated electoral areas. Verified national voters registrar, general update on voter registrar.
