Parliament Rejects UPDF's UGX 138 Billion to Monitor 2026 Elections

Parliament has rejected a request by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) to allocate UGX 138 billion for monitoring the 2026 general elections.

Lawmakers argued that election monitoring falls under the mandate of the Uganda Police Force and recommended that any funds meant for this activity should be redirected to the police instead.

The UPDF had defended the request, stating that the funds were intended for operational purposes and that the army would provide protection to Members of Parliament (MPs) during the electoral period.

However, several MPs strongly opposed the proposal, raising concerns that involving the military in election monitoring could lead to the militarization of the electoral process.

Some legislators questioned why the army needed such a large budget for an activity that is traditionally handled by civilian security agencies.

They emphasized that allowing the UPDF to take an active role in elections could create an atmosphere of intimidation, affecting the credibility and fairness of the polls.

Despite the UPDF's assurances that their role would be limited to providing security, Parliament remained firm in its decision.

Lawmakers insisted that strengthening the police’s capacity would be a more appropriate approach rather than deploying the military for election-related activities.

LINK: https://x.com/pwatchug/status/1886288821438038482

The rejection of the UPDF’s request comes at a time when opposition politicians and civil society groups have repeatedly expressed concerns over the involvement of security forces in Uganda’s electoral process.

With the 2026 general elections approaching, the debate over the role of security agencies in the polls is expected to continue.