KAMPALA. Cabinet has cleared a shs26.9 billion budget tabled by the Ministry of Finance to cater for the forthcoming Local Council elections.
Government has on several occasions extended the term of office for both LC1 and LC2 offices as well as women councils over lack of funds to hold the elections.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi said cabinet sitting on Monday at State House in Entebbe and chaired by President Museveni cleared the supplementary budget presented by the Ministry of Finance.
“We expected the elections to be held this month but we required money. The Ministry of finance tabled the budget and I want to inform you that cabinet approved this money,” Magyezi said.
He said the Electoral Commission can now proceed with the roadmap about the Local Council elections, but noted this can only continue , on assumption of an approval by parliament.
“This is to assure the country that government has prioritised elections of lower councils,” Magyezi said.
The term of office for the LC 1 and LC 2 who were elected in 2018 expired in 2023, and their elections have since been extended six times.
Uganda has over 70,000 villages and they are governed by LCs 1 and 2 as the smallest administrative unit.