The legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee that is chaired by the West Budama Legislature Jacob ObothOboth first interfaced with the Officials from the Electoral Commission led by the Vice Chairperson Hajjati Aisha Lubega who informed the Committee that the Commission lacked funds to conduct by-elections for Local Council five and Members of Parliament in the six new Districts and Municipalities respectively. “The Electoral Commission would require12,323,290,966 shillings. I must mention, Chairman and members that this provision was made in our budget but it was not honored so we are not asking for something new, it is something we asked for when we presented the budget but it was not honored.” Said the Vice Chairperson, Electoral Commission.

According to the Commission, 2.1 billion shillings is necessitated for the elections of Local Council five elections, 4.1 billion for the Directly Elected Members of Parliament in Municipalities, 3 billion for Local Council elections in new Town Councils and 3 billion shillings for the by-elections of Woman Member of Parliament in Kabong and Iganga districts. “In order to conduct these elections as required by law, funds are urgently required as hereunder indicated.” Said the Vice Chairperson, EC. This propelled the Committee to immediately summon the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and the Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi to give their defense as to why they had failed to release funds to the Commission to organize the by-elections. In his defense, Muhakanizireminded the Committee of his ten objections to the creation of new districts due to lack of operational funds. “And we did advise with my letter don’t create any more new districts, and I have said it today. Because there’s going to be conflict over the next five years commitments which are already there, it is not possible to have more districts and they resisted, from the level of the cabinet and the Parliament our advice was rejected.” Said the PS, Ministry of Finance. Kasaija called for more time before a final government position was reached. “And we only forgot or there was no money for the elections then I will come back...” Said the Minister of Finance.

The new districts are Namisindwa, Butebu, Lukiga, Pakwach, Kyotera, and Bunyangabo. The new Municipalities that require representations as well are Njeru, Apac, Shema, Neddi, and Kotido. In a related development, the government released 15 billion shillings to the Electoral Commission to organize the long-awaited elections for the Local Council one and two. “Because we knew it well in advance all of us; the cabinet knew it, everybody knew it. So the LC elections will be held in the next quarter because the funds are there for the LC1 elections. I am glad that even the money has been released...” Said the State Minister of Finance.