The Electoral Commision has tasked the Ministry of Finance to provide at least Shs700bn for it to organise the forthcoming 2021 general election, Matooke Republic has learnt.
This revelation was made by Jotham Taremwa, the Commission’s spokesperson who said attributed the high amounts to budgetary constraints that commission has faced during the 2016 general election.
“Actually if my memory services me right, the figures we submitted are about Shs1trillion. Perhaps the ministry cut it but that is less than enough,” Taremwa said.
In 2016, the Electoral Commission used shs380billion to organise the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
But the rampant byelections, the new municipal, town council and LC.1 elections have laced the commission’s budget which, according to Taremwa, explains the need for additional funds.
“Since the last elections, there has been an increase in the costs. The polling stations themselves have increased from 28,000 in 2016 to over 35,000 currently,” he added.
While speaking to the media at Parliament, Finance Minister for Planning, David Bahati confirmed the amount adding that “democracy is not cheap.”
“If you don’t want democracy, try the other. It is more expensive. War, Violence and all that..”