Story by Aggrey Twesigye.
The Electoral Commission in Mbarara City has officially launched the update of the national voters’ register in preparation for the 2025/2026 general elections. The update exercise, which will run from January 20 to February 10, 2025, is focused on ensuring that special interest groups, including youth, older persons, and persons with disabilities, are properly represented.
Violet Atuhurira, the Returning Officer and District Election Administrator for Mbarara City, highlighted the key priorities of the update process. These include registering new applicants, correcting errors in the current register, transferring voters to different polling stations, and verifying students who registered while at school. Atuhurira has urged all eligible residents to actively participate in the process to ensure their inclusion in the updated voters’ register, enabling them to vote in the 2026 elections.
To facilitate the update, voter registers will be displayed at various wards across Mbarara City, with officers equipped with essential materials, including computers, megaphones, posters, and official forms to ensure a smooth process. This is aimed at making the registration process more accessible and efficient for all voters.
While the update exercise started smoothly, some minor delays occurred due to technical challenges. By 11:00 a.m., some update officers were still stationed at the Electoral Commission offices, and certain stations had not yet received the updated registers by 12:30 p.m. Despite these setbacks, Atuhurira reassured the public that the exercise is on track and encouraged eligible voters to visit their designated stations to check their details and make any necessary updates.
Residents are urged to take this opportunity to verify their information and ensure they are registered in time for the 2026 general elections.
