It’s Not Too Early To Start Planning! Electoral Commission Launches Strategic Plan, Electoral Road Map For 2026 General Elections
The Electoral Commission (EC) has today Wednesday 2nd August 2023, launched the roadmap and a strategic plan for 2022/2023-2026/2027 at Hotel Africana, Kampala, as part of the preparations for the 2026 general elections.
Speaking during the launch, electoral commission Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama revealed that the strategic plan and roadmap “are designed to enable phased funding of key election activities, which will reduce funding pressure on the government and facilitate the Commission’s conduct of the elections in a smooth manner and also provides clear communication of priority areas and key milestones in the election cycle.”
”The Strategic Plan we are launching today is a result of extensive research and stakeholder consultation, we appeal to the Government, particularly Cabinet and the Legislature, to ensure timely amendment and/or enactment of the relevant electoral laws.”Byabakama said.
He noted that the Roadmap will enable the various stakeholders in the electoral process to achieve improvement in the planning for participation and implementation of electoral activities, improvement in the coordination of electoral activities, timely implementation of scheduled electoral activities; and, transparency in the implementation of electoral programs and activities.
Byabakama further revealed that the commission also intends to undertake voter education and outreach programs to increase and improve citizen participation in all electoral activities and to encourage citizen participation in the governance of their country by registering all eligible willing voters to ensure they exercise their voting rights and improve voter turnout.
The launched road map will also conduct administrative Units Elections to ensure that all elective posts are filled right from the grassroots to the national level and also embarks on reorganizing and demarcating polling stations and electoral areas.
Click Here To Read Electoral commission Strategic Plan 2022_2027.v.1.28.7.23.1.pdf
Meanwhile, t Hon Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who was the guest speaker pledged that her office will make sure that the enactment of relevant laws for the 2025/2026 General Elections is done before the end of the 2023/2024 financial year.
”I implore all stakeholders to carefully examine all the timelines as outlined in the Roadmap, and work with the Electoral Commission to smoothly implement the electoral roadmap for 2025/2026 general elections,” noted Nabbanja.
She also called upon all political players to organize themselves in accordance with the roadmap so that they effectively participate in this process.
TAdding his voice to the launch, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Nobert Mao who was called upon electoral commision to invest more time and money in Civic education.
”The EC has been lamenting about civic education. I would want us to focus on civic education. The citizens are the nursery beds for leaders because leaders are picked from citizens. We need to make sure our citizens have civic education.” Moa said during the launch.
