In preparation for Uganda’s 2026 general elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) is calling on Parliament to release an additional Shs10.463 billion to complete staff salary enhancements that were approved as far back as 2017. The appeal was presented by Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the EC, during the submission of the 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
Byabakama revealed that Parliament approved a phased salary increment in 2017, with the final installment scheduled for the 2019/2020 financial year. However, this installment remains unpaid.
“The third and final installment of the staff enhancement, which was approved by this Parliament in 2017 and was due in the 2019/2020 financial year, amounting to Shs10.463 billion, hasn’t been honored to date. This has created a lot of anxiety among our staff,” Byabakama explained.
The EC believes that fulfilling this obligation is essential for motivating staff and enhancing service delivery as the country gears up for another national election cycle. Byabakama also noted that failure to meet these salary commitments continues to negatively impact staff morale, potentially hindering the institution’s effectiveness.