Yasiin Mugerwa
9 July 2009
The Electoral Commission is facing financial challenges ahead of the 2011 general elections after it emerged that the government has failed to provide the required funds for fresh registration among other key activities.
Details from the electoral body to Parliament, show that although the Finance Minister, Ms Syda Bbumba, slightly revised the 2011 polls budget in the medium term from Shs12 billion to Shs31 billion, the commission requires at least Shs88.6 billion.
Citing some of the challenges, the EC statement contained in their latest policy statement submitted by the Justice minister, Dr Khiddu Makubuya, says: "[We have been given Shs31 billion but] the Commission requires Shs88.6 billion in order to re-organise polling stations, recruit, train and deploy election officers/voter educators' register using biometric method and procure equipment, vehicles, furniture and electoral materials."
However, the MPs on the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs assert that the government, by not providing the required funds, was holding the commission at ransom and have subsequently warned of a possible mismanaged election. Without delving into the details of the possible dangers ahead, the EC warns: "If this ceiling is not raised upwards, it poses big challenges to the commission ahead of 2011 elections."
In the financial year 2010/2011, EC requires an additional Shs103.6 billion for general elections. However, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) ceilings; EC says, "Have pushed this provision to the financial year 2011/2012 when the general elections will be over. These funds are required for the display of voters' registers, nomination of both national and local council leaders, campaigns, voter education, printing of ballot papers and polling days' activities."
The EC statement adds: "[for this case therefore], the commission requests that this adjustment be made to enable it conduct the 2010/11 general elections smoothly. One of the objectives of the Strategic Plan 2007-2011 was to treat the 2010/11 general elections as a project implying that funds would be released over a period of three financial years."
According to the EC, the treatment of 2010/11 general elections as a project was intended to ease pressure on government and also to enable EC to plan and execute its activities with ease. It was planned that Shs43.3 billion would be released in 2008/09 and Shs53.5 billion for 2010/2011 financial year.
Justifying the need for more funding, the EC says: "There is apathy among the voting population," adding; "During the off-peak periods, the commission draws programmes to continuously register those who are eligible."
Meanwhile, EC has failed to get the Shs16 billion to hold LC1 elections, yet that is the figure the Finance Ministry budgeted for the commission's entire budget in the 2008/09 financial year.
In the last elections, court said the EC fell short of holding "free and fair elections" when a sizeable number of voters had their names removed from the registers.
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