KAMPALA- The Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugyenyi Simon has announced an extension of the general update exercise of the National Voters Register, which was initially set to conclude today 10th February 2025.
Justice Byabakama Mugyenyi said that the extension which runs from tomorrow, 11th to Monday, 17th February 2025, aims to provide additional time for eligible Ugandan citizens to register and participate in the upcoming 2025/2026 General Elections.
While addressing a press conference at the Electoral Commission offices in Kampala today morning, Justice Byabakama Mugyenyi highlighted both the progress made in the update exercise and the challenges encountered. He said that the extension follows appeals from key stakeholders and observations from the EC’s field teams, which revealed a high turnout of applicants seeking registration and transfer services across the country.
The decision to extend the update exercise was influenced by several factors which include the great enthusiasm in registering as voters, applying for transfers and verifying their details and this surge in participation has resulted in long queues at update centers, necessitating more time to accommodate all eligible applicants.
The Electoral Commission is also faced with technical difficulties due to the limited number of registration kits obtained from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and these old-age kits have been prone to breakdowns, slowing down the registration process in various regions.
It should also be noted that Political leaders, civil society organizations, the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, youth groups, and members of the public have all requested an extension to ensure comprehensive coverage of eligible voters and their concerns were taken into consideration by the Electoral Commission before granting the extension.
It has also been noted that many students who were initially registered by NIRA while in school and have since turned 18 need additional time to update their details and be assigned polling stations within their parishes of residence or origin.
Justice Byabakama Mugyenyi pointed out that despite the challenges, the Electoral Commission has reported significant progress during the first 21 days of the update exercise where by 361,432 new voters have been added to the National Voters Register and a total of 292,021 applications for voter transfers have been processed.
The current National Voters Register now stands at 19,925,574 registered voters, up from 18,103,603 in the 2020/2021 General Elections and additionally, the EC has continuously updated the register through by-elections and by integrating verified citizens’ data from NIRA.
He said that during the extension period, the update exercise will continue to be conducted daily, including weekends, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 pm at designated update centers.
The Electoral Commission has however clarified that no fresh registration will be conducted and the extension is not for new voter registration but an opportunity for Ugandans who have not yet registered to do so.
He however said that registered voters who wish to change their voting locations can still apply, but they must provide proof of residence or origin in the new location and voters can confirm their details at update centers or online via the EC website (https://ec.or.ug/register).
With the update exercise extended, the Electoral Commission will continue monitoring progress and issuing periodic updates and after this phase, the next key milestone will be the Display of the National Voters Register, scheduled for April–May 2025, where registered voters will have the chance to cross-check their details before the final register is compiled.
The Electoral Commission has urged all eligible citizens who have not yet registered or wish to transfer their polling stations to take advantage of this extension and ensure they are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections and this development underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring an inclusive, transparent, and well-organized electoral process.
