Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission on Thursday condemned widespread election malpractices and the commercialization of politics, warning that they pose a significant threat to democracy. Speaking to senior investigators and prosecutors at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Kibuli, Byabakama urged authorities to take firm action against those involved in electoral crimes.
Byabakama revealed that parliamentary candidates often need at least Shs500 million to run for office, with a large portion of this money being used to bribe voters, an offense under the law. He called on law enforcement to activate and enforce existing laws to combat bribery, violence, and other election-related offenses to protect citizens and hold offenders accountable.
Despite the existence of over 50 offenses related to elections in Uganda’s legal framework, Byabakama noted that police and prosecutors rarely charge those who break these laws. He stressed the need for decisive and firm action to ensure a fair and peaceful electoral process.
“Commercialization of elections is a terrible thing. I’m told for now for you to contest for Parliament, you must have a minimum of 500 million shillings,” he said on Thursday.
Byabakama also expressed concern over the use of hateful messages, particularly on social media, which could undermine stability and hinder the success of government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was waiting to close the two-day conference of officers from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and CID. The conference, held under the theme “The Contribution of ODPP/CID in the Socio-Economic Transformation of Uganda,” aimed to equip investigators and prosecutors with skills to handle electoral, corruption, land-related, and other complex crimes, particularly in preparation for the 2026 elections.
