By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Government has approved sh26.9 billion to conduct the long-awaited Local Council (LC) I and II, and Women Council elections.
This was revealed by the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, during a press briefing at Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday. The funds were cleared during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Museveni on Monday.
The allocation is part of a supplementary budget tabled by the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the electoral process, which had previously stalled due to financial constraints.
According to Magyezi, the approval paves the way for the Electoral Commission (EC) to review its roadmap and announce definitive dates for the polls.
“I expect the Ministry of Finance to formally inform us about the budget and the Electoral Commission to prepare to review its roadmap and give information to the country regarding the dates, venues, and procedures,” Magyezi stated.
The Minister noted that while the government originally expected the elections to take place this month, the delay was inevitable as they waited for the requisite funding.
The budget now awaits formal approval from Parliament before the funds are released to the EC.
The Minister affirmed government commitment to strengthening lower-level administrative structures.
“This is to assure the country that indeed the government has prioritized the elections of these lower structures […] and they will be held,” he said.
The terms of the current LC1 and LC2 chairpersons expired in July 2023. Since then, their mandates have been extended through statutory instruments issued by the Ministry of Local Government to avoid a total breakdown in local administration and security monitoring.
Magyezi urged the public to wait for the official programme from the Electoral Commission, which will detail the voter registration process and the polling calendar.
The move has been welcomed by many citizens who say it signals an end to the leadership vacuum at the grassroots level.
“In some areas, the elected leaders passed away and there have been caretakers, when the elections are eventually held, it will allow Ugandans to vote individuals to rightfully represent and serve them but also occupying the leadership vacuum in affected areas,” said Charity Sande, a Public Administration student at Kampala International University.
