The Electoral Commission (EC) has suspended the electoral programme for Women Councils and Committees Elections, 2022 due to lack of funds to conduct the activity.
The amount required for conduct of the elections is Shs35.6billion and at the moment, only Shs15.6billion has been provided, which leaves a funding gap of Shs20billion, according to the commission.
In February 2022, the Electoral Commission issued a roadmap detailing the various activities to be conducted under the programme for elections of Women Councils and Committees from the village to the National Level.
To-date, the chairperson EC, Justice Simon Byabakama said they have finalised the compilation of the village women residents’ register and is currently conducting the display of the said registers at each village/cell across the country in preparation for subsequent activities, namely, nomination of candidates and polling at the village level.
However, Byabakama said in a statement that the Ministry of Finance has informed them that the funds required for conducting the subsequent activities under the electoral roadmap are not yet available.
“Accordingly, the commission informs the general public, Political Party leaders and women in particular, that the remaining programme for the elections of Village Women Councils and Committees, shall not be implemented as earlier scheduled,” said Byabakama.
Consequently, he said all the remaining activities under the approved programme for conduct of the women councils and committees’ elections, starting with the nominations of candidates, which were earlier scheduled for Monday 27th June – 1st July 2022, have been suspended.
“The Commission will issue a new programme for the above electoral activities when the required additional funds are availed,” he said.
Byabakama appealed to Political Parties and organisations, aspiring candidates and their supporters, and all other stakeholders in these elections, to remain calm as the matter of the additional funding requirements is being handled by the relevant organs of government.