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The President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Patrick Amuriat Oboi, has challenged the Electoral Commission’s handling of the upcoming voter registration and update exercise.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, Amuriat raised concerns over the limited 21-day period allocated for updating the voters' register.
“The Electoral Commission intends to conduct this exercise from 20th January to 10th February 2025—a period of only 21 days for such an essential exercise,” Amuriat said.
He further pointed out that an earlier amendment to the roadmap had scheduled the process for 3rd to 25th January 2025, providing 23 days, which he also deemed insufficient.
The FDC leader says voter registration is crucial, involving the registration of new voters, updates to voter details, and changes in polling station locations.
As such, he said the exercise of this magnitude requires at least two months.
He accused the Electoral Commission of rushing the process and raising concerns about its preparedness to ensure a free and fair election.
Electoral Commission Defends Preparedness
In response to Amuriat’s remarks, Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi dismissed concerns over the allocated time.
Speaking on the phone, Mucunguzi assured the public of the Commission’s readiness to execute the exercise effectively.
“The Commission has trained staff, secured the necessary resources, and deployed 12,000 temporary workers at the parish level to carry out the voter registration exercise,” he said.
Mucunguzi also spoke of the Commission’s efforts to inform citizens about the process through media outreach and collaboration with local government structures.
He called upon all stakeholders, including political parties, to actively participate in ensuring a free and transparent election.
Addressing FDC’s concerns about extending the timeline, Mucunguzi argued that the exercise had not yet commenced and there was no evidence suggesting the need for an extension.
“We ask Ugandans to take advantage of the 21 days to update their particulars. At this point, we are not aware of the need to increase the time allocated,” he said.
Mucunguzi further criticised some political parties for being selective in their criticisms, stating that they were aware of the Electoral Commission’s schedule but chose to raise objections instead of encouraging their supporters to participate.