The Secretary General of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), David Kabanda, has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to consider using a manual system for the ongoing voter register update exercise.
Kabanda's proposal comes amid growing concerns over logistical and technical challenges, including system breakdowns, insufficient registration kits, and poor network connectivity, which have disrupted the exercise since its launch on January 20.
The national voter register update is slated to run until February 10, but these persistent challenges have sparked public outcry, with many questioning the feasibility of the exercise within the set timeline.
Speaking to Nile Post, Kabanda criticized the EC's reliance on technology, suggesting a return to manual methods used in previous electoral processes.
"If technology has failed, then we can use manual registers and update our details. The same was done in 2021 during voting when machines failed," Kabanda said.
He argued that Uganda is not yet fully equipped to adopt technology in certain processes, including voter registration and elections, due to inadequate infrastructure in several parts of the country.
"You have places where you can't make a call for five minutes because of network issues, and others lack internet altogether. All these frustrate the use of technology," he noted.
Kabanda also referenced the recent National Population and Housing Census, where technological failures were reported in some areas despite a decade of preparation.
He expressed fears that similar issues could affect critical phases of the 2026 General Elections, including nominations and voting.
"If the system is failing now, what will happen on nomination day or even voting day? We are likely to face the same problems during the elections," Kabanda warned.
However, the EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi dismissed fears of widespread failure, assuring the public that the Commission has the capacity to manage a credible electoral process.
"The Commission has set up a team of technocrats to address all challenges arising from the voter register update and provide immediate solutions," Mucunguzi said.
He reiterated the EC's commitment to resolving issues as they arise and maintained that the ongoing challenges would not jeopardise the integrity of the elections.
"These challenges will be dealt with as they come and, therefore, can't affect any elections," Mucunguzi emphasised.
