Politicians warned against ‘killing’ opponents during 2026 voter registration

The Electoral Commission has warned politicians against ‘killing’ their opponents during the forthcoming voter registration exercise.

“We have noted during some of these exercises that some people kill their opponents. They go to the register centre and say this person died or left this area and went to another yet it is not true. Let us keen interest,” said Jonathan Kimanje, an election officer at the Electoral Commission.

He was speaking during a regional stakeholders’ workshop on updating of the voters’ register at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

The workshop was attended by Regional Police Commander, regional prisons commander, Regional Internal Security Officers UPDF officer, representatives from political parties, civil society and inter-religious council among others.

Section 19(12) of the Electoral Commission Act stipulates that for anyone to exercise their voting right, they must be Ugandans of 18 years of age and above.

The Electoral Commission recently announced it will conduct the exercise of updating of the voter register between January 20 and February 10 across the country.

The EC officials said whereas the law allows Ugandans to leave their areas of birth to go and vote from areas where they reside, some politicians take advantage of this provision to “kill” their opponents.

“As we shall be going to view these registers, let us take keen interest. I might be originating from a certain area but when I got married, I moved to another area.  I can vote from my place of origin. It is permissible.”

“Some people might say they saw your name on the voters register but seeing is believing. You might be technically knocked out due to that. Be keen to see yourself that you appear on the register.”

Rectification period

Kimanje however noted there is time to rectify such issues, noting that the display exercise  for the voters’ register takes period of 21 days.

“After the display of the register, there is a period of natural justice such that if during the display, you were erroneous removed from the register, you will be given chance to go and find out  and you can fill form for reinstatement on the register,” he said.

“ After the 21 days, it is within the law that we shall have natural justice for 10 days and during this time we will have tribunals usually appointed by magistrates. During this time, the tribunals will sit and go through these cases brought up against omission or inclusion or any other issue.”

He said the voters’ registers will be displayed in convenient public places for every to view.

Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama who was represented by commissioner, Dr.Simba Kayunga said the forthcoming voter registration exercise is meant to register new voters, especially those who were not yet 18 during the previous general election and those who were 18 but are not on the register.

“The update exercise is also meant to enable registered voters who wish to transfer to new voting locations to apply for such transfer  but also enable others to check and confirm that their particulars are correct and appear on the voters register at the voting locations that they indicated during registration,” he said.