22 Million Ugandans Expected to Vote in 2026 – EC
By The Public Lens
Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Byabakama, has revealed that the number of eligible voters is expected to rise up to 22 million people during the forthcoming 2026 general elections.
Byabakama contends that there will be more four million voters compared to the last general elections but, with the biggest majority of them composed of youths since Uganda has up to 50.5 percent of its population below 17 years, according to UBOS 2024.
Justice Byabakama made the revealation while releasing the revised roadmap of the 2026 general elections, and said eligible voters could even soar to 24 million.
“This increment explains the swelling budget of the election exercise every time it is held,” he explained, “By the EC standards, 900 voters are attached to polling stations in rural areas and 1,000 to 1,200 in urban centers.”
He added that the soaring fuel prices also have a bearing on the new budget structure, because the commission’s work requires a lot of mobility, hence high fuel consumption meaning that Commission’s budget would swell further if fuel prices went up.
Byabakama also noted that the delayed enactment of electoral reforms grossly affects the election cycle and quality.
“As a commission, our expectation is that any reforms in electoral laws should come well in time, at least two years before the polling process, to enable us actualize and implement these reforms within the roadmap activities. If they come after, they negatively impact us. We appeal to the relevant organs of the state to consider this. To avoid the repetition of processes, even the new electoral areas need to be created in time,” he stated.
Byabakama also urged the media to champion the demand for a law that restricts electoral financing from political actors, because it was a resolution by the national consultative forum towards the 2021 general election.
However, he said that aspiration has not come to fruition because its Bill flopped in parliament.
He however noted that the aspects of financing need attention because it keeps many people, especially the youth, out of elective politics.
The commission chairperson, who is well known for preaching peace and tolerance before, during, and after elections, said that elections are not a do-or-die affair, and that there is supposed to be a winner and a loser; not everyone can win.
“This process is about choosing our leaders, and it should unite the nation rather than dividing us,” he said.
Regarding security organizations taking over the election process, Byabakama underscored the relevancy of security basing on the kind of elections held in Uganda where people treat it as a matter of life and death.
“To have a free and fair election, we need to have security around. Many people behave in an unbecoming manner that threatens the existence of others and the nation. As Ugandans, we need to have dialogue over some of the activities in our country,” he said.
Source: Business Focus
