KAMPALA: Government has released an additional Shs7 billion needed by the Electoral Commission (EC) to organise the LC1 and LCII elections across the country.
Mr Paul Bukenya, the electoral body deputy spokesperson said the exercise will kick off since they have received the money.
“We had waited for the funds for long. Now that we have got it, we are going to make few changes in our programmes and then sensitize the public. We shall soon announce the date for the elections,” Bukenya said.
The Parliamentary Budget Committee chairperson Mudimi Wamukuyu told PML Daily that the Electoral Commission chairman Justice Simon Byabakama assured him that the Finance Ministry released the funds.
“We are now waiting for them(EC ) to fix the date for the elections,” Wamukuyu added.
The EC last month requested for a supplementary budget from government after Justice Byabakama recently said they delayed to organize elections because the electoral body had inadequate funds.
Byabakama in April, said part of the sh7b will be used to register students who missed during the process.
By Press time, sources said the EC top officials were in a closed door meeting discussing the LC election programme.
Ugandans last held LC elections 15 years ago.
By the time, the EC postponed the elections, Byabakama said they had used part of shs15.7billion, government released for elections on other activities.
Settling matter out of court
EC spokesperson Jotham Taremwa’s told PML Daily on phone that the court cases which were raised by concerned citizens were settled out of court.
The citizens Dan to court contesting the manner in which the local council elections were being organised.
The petitioners argued that holding elections when students were at school was likely to disenfranchise the learners.
The elections were suspended after two separate High Court injunctions were issued halting the exercise.
