Joseph Kabuleta, President of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), has criticized the government for its handling of the ongoing voter registration process. Speaking during a recent press briefing, Kabuleta called the exercise rushed, exclusionary, and poorly planned, accusing the government of undermining the electoral process.
Kabuleta highlighted several flaws, including the tight timeline for registration, which has excluded Ugandans in the diaspora, disenfranchised youth who recently turned 18 or will soon reach voting age, and created confusion in newly established constituencies such as Moroto.
“The government announced this voter registration exercise just a year before the 2026 general elections,” Kabuleta said. “This is rushed and exclusionary, leaving many Ugandans without a chance to register. This is not just poor planning; it is deliberate.”
He further accused the government of using the exercise to benefit the incumbent president. “These changes and the poorly executed process are designed to serve the interests of the president and his regime,” Kabuleta added.
Kabuleta also called for a “counter-revolution” to challenge what he referred to as “villains” and “thieves” in power. He criticized the lack of transparency in the exercise and the government’s failure to address longstanding issues in the electoral process.
His comments have fueled debate on the integrity of the 2026 elections, with opposition leaders demanding more accountability and inclusivity in the voter registration process.