KAMPALA UGANDA: The Electoral Commission (EC) chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama has decried the highly commercialized elections in Uganda, and urged all stakeholders to consider options to regulate campaign financing which he says will contribute to a free, fair and participatory electoral environment in Uganda.
Justice Byabakama made the remarks during a media engagement with the commission at Royal Suites in Bugolobi Kampala, as one of the measures the EC is undertaking to facilitate free and fair elections in 2026.
Justice Byabakama said the EC is concerned about the commercialized elections in Uganda, a practice he says undermines the principle of democracy and at times leads to violence. He wondered how young people who constitute majority of the population in Uganda will be able to compete in highly commercialized elections, citing a case of parliamentary elections where candidates spend a minimum of 500million on campaigns.
Byabakama noted that in 2021, the National Consultative Forum had come up with a draft law to regulate campaign financing but this legislation was not adopted by Parliament, and it is important that stakeholders push for a law to limit funds used by candidates during elections.
“Why has democracy become a commodity for sale? We need a law that compels candidates to state sources of campaign funds and how they plan to spend the money. What happened to these proposals?” Justice Byabakama remarked.
According to the EC, today’s engagement with the media is one of several measures the commission is undertaking to ensure credible, free and fair elections in 2026. The media was highlighted as a crucial partner considering their role in influencing public perceptions before, during and after elections.
Byabakama, alongside other commissioners, underscored the importance of peaceful elections, highlighting that elections are a constitutional right. He condemned violence and urged the media to always convey accurate information, but also be mindful of the broader consequences of biased and inaccurate reports during elections.
He said the commission is undertaking all measures to ensure violence-free elections in 2026, justifying the need for EC to engage all stakeholders in the electoral process including the political actors, security agencies, the civil society, among others.
Representatives from the media raised concerns about high-handedness of security agencies and their role in inflaming the charged political situation during elections, a matter Byabakama said the EC is working on through engagement and dialogue.
Byabakama also noted that his commission has made adjustments in the 2026 election roadmap following delays in release of funds from government to facilitate EC activities, which will affect some of their processes. He however did not mention the activities which will be affected by those changes saying the EC will communicate in due course.