The Electoral Commission (EC) has come under scrutiny after suspending six staff members, including Secretary Leonard Mulekwah, amid allegations of mismanagement of funds.

EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to combating corruption, emphasizing its zero-tolerance policy.

The suspensions, announced during a presentation of the Commission’s 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee as part of an ongoing internal investigation into financial irregularities. Justice Byabakama stated, “We identified questionable handling of funds within the institution, and as a result, an internal mechanism was activated to address these concerns.”

While Byabakama refrained from discussing specific details, he assured the committee that action would be taken based on the findings of the inquiry. The investigation comes at a critical time, with preparations for the 2026 general elections underway.

This isn’t the first corruption scandal to hit the Commission. In 2020, former EC Secretary Sam Rwakoojo and several staff members were dismissed over similar allegations. Mulekwah, who was promoted from Director of Operations to Secretary after Rwakoojo’s departure, now faces his own suspension. Richard Kamugisha, previously the Director of Operations, has been named Acting Secretary.

During the committee session, Justice Byabakama outlined key funding needs for the 2026 elections, including a request for an additional UGX 10.463 billion to enhance staff salaries. The salary enhancement, approved by Parliament in 2017, remains partially unfunded, which Byabakama warned could demoralize staff and affect service delivery.

The EC is also seeking UGX 1.66 billion to address unpaid wages for returning officers in newly created cities and districts like Terego. In addition, the Commission has proposed a UGX 62.066 billion allocation for constructing a new headquarters to serve as a venue for candidate nominations and election result declarations.

“The current budget does not provide for this critical project. A purpose-built headquarters would reduce reliance on rented venues for major electoral activities, saving costs in the long term,” Byabakama told the committee.

The committee session also touched on escalating violence during by-elections. MPs expressed concern about incidents such as the Kisoro by-election, where an individual was arrested with illegal ballot papers while under military protection. Busiro East MP Medard Lubega criticized the EC for failing to hold culprits accountable.

Justice Byabakama defended the Commission, attributing election-related violence to external actors rather than EC staff. “We consistently remind stakeholders that peaceful elections require everyone’s cooperation. The issues you mention are the actions of individuals outside the Commission’s control,” he said.

Tensions escalated when an MP raised allegations made by President Museveni in September 2024, claiming that one million votes were either withheld or wrongly awarded during the 2021 general elections.