Advancing Electoral and Constitutional Reforms in Uganda

With Support from International Republican Institute (IRI), Sensitise Uganda is collaborating with the National Consultative Forum (NCF) for Political Parties and Organisations to advance electoral and constitutional reforms in Uganda. Advancing Electoral and Constitutional Reforms in Uganda project aims at consulting different electoral stakeholders in order to propose fundamental electoral and constitutional reforms to the government of Uganda.

In January 2021, Uganda held its fourth general elections since the transition to a multiparty system in 2005. Sensitise Uganda was accredited by The Electoral Commission to observe the 2020/2021 general elections. Sensitise Uganda deployed a team of election observers to observe the final stages of the electoral process, namely the electoral campaigns, polling day, tallying process at the district tally centers and national tally center, announcement of results which was followed closely on television and the immediate post-election phase of the elections.

After observing the pre-election, polling day and post-election activities, Sensitise Uganda developed an election observation report. The election observation report of the 2021 general elections in Uganda provided details of observations, challenges, lessons learnt, findings and recommendations. The report was presented to The Electoral Commission.

The Supreme Court recommendations made in 2016, wherein among others, the Court recommended, that any election related reform be undertaken within two years of the establishment of the new Parliament in order to avoid last minute hastily enacted legislation on elections.

Electoral reforms are changes in electoral systems which improve the responsiveness of electoral processes and how public desires are expressed in election results. Electoral reforms help in improving electoral processes through fostering enhanced impartiality, inclusiveness, transparency, integrity and accuracy.