Busoga Stakeholders Call for Same-Day Elections, Restriction of Army Role in Polls

Stakeholders in Uganda's Busoga sub-region have proposed significant electoral reforms, advocating for all elections to be conducted on a single day and for the army's role during polls to be restricted. These changes, discussed at a regional Post-Election Evaluation Workshop in Jinja City, are intended to bolster transparency and democratic principles.

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Many of the groups proposed that the army should not be deployed during elections. This is important for transparency and to allow democracy to thrive because the army is not trained in handling electoral processes.

The workshop, attended by officials from the police, prisons, Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), civil society organizations, political parties, and local government leaders, reviewed the 2026 General Elections. Participants identified key recommendations for future electoral cycles. A central proposal was to limit the army's active involvement in elections, arguing that the military lacks specialized training for managing civilian electoral processes like campaigns and voting, and its presence could undermine public confidence.

Participants also suggested consolidating presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections into a single day. This unified approach, they argued, would reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and potentially increase voter participation. Kafuko Mulyandawo, presenting one group's recommendations, noted that the current staggered system forces many voters to travel long distances to their home villages, risking disenfranchisement. Conducting all elections simultaneously would alleviate this logistical and financial burden on both the government and citizens.

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Many voters travel long distances to their villages to vote. We propose that voting be done once, on the same day, to avoid disenfranchising citizens from exercising their constitutional right to elect leaders of their choice.

Deo Natukunda, the Kiira Region Electoral Commission Officer, acknowledged the proposals, stating they would be forwarded to the relevant authorities, including Parliament, which holds the constitutional mandate for legislative changes. The workshop is part of the Electoral Commission's broader post-election review process aimed at assessing performance and identifying areas for improvement.

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All the views raised here have been captured and will be forwarded to the relevant authorities, including Parliament, which is constitutionally mandated to make laws and amendments.