20% of Trac FM respondents say they couldn't register to vote
A new Trac FM poll shows that 20% of Ugandans who tried to register to vote in 2016 were unable to. Another 15% didn't register because they had no intention of voting.
Uganda's updated voter registry has been a source of controversy for both government and opposition MP's. Allegations were made in parliament that over two million names are on the list that shouldn't be there.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is now using the citizens register as the national voters register. This means that Ugandans who failed to register for their national identification cards will be unable to participate in the elections.
In response to this criticism justice minister Kahinda Otafiire stated people also have a responsibility. “It’s compulsory that people register as citizens. Ignorance of the procedure does not protect you," said Otafiire. "The question should be why didn’t you register?"