The Electoral Commission (EC) has extended the national voter registration update by an additional seven days to give more Ugandans a chance to register and update their details ahead of the 2025/2026 General Elections.

The exercise, which was initially set to close on January 10, 2025, will now continue from February 11 to February 17, 2025, running daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, including weekends.

EC chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon stated that the extension was granted after assessing field reports and considering requests from various stakeholders.

“The Commission has reviewed the progress of the exercise and listened to appeals for an extension. This additional period will allow more eligible citizens to register. However, after this, no further extension will be given,” he said.

He clarified that this is not a new voter registration process but rather an opportunity for Ugandans who have turned 18 or never registered before to ensure they are on the electoral roll for the upcoming elections.

The registration exercise has faced several challenges, including technical issues, reports of officials refusing to register some applicants, and network disruptions in certain areas. MPs and other stakeholders had called for an extension, arguing that these challenges were preventing some Ugandans from exercising their rights.

Justice Byabakama urged the public to take advantage of this final extension, emphasizing that participation in elections begins with being registered.

According to the EC, 361,432 new voters have been added, while 292,021 applications for transfers have been processed. As of February 10, 2025, Uganda’s total number of registered voters stands at 19,925,574.

The next key step in the electoral process will be the public display of the updated National Voters Register, scheduled to take place between April and May 2025.