The High Court in Kampala has set August 3 to decide whether to give Electoral Commission (EC) more time to cater for the participation of Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners to vote in the 2021 general election.

The EC told court yesterday that implementation of the earlier court order to allow Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners to participate means reopening the voter registration, update and display of the voters register which exercises have been concluded.

“Reopening of the voter registration process will throw the electoral process into a fatal spin as the Constitution and the laws made put the electoral process in a straitjacket time table which, if interfered with, would jeopardise the entire process already in its advanced stage,” Mr Eric Sabiiti, the EC lawyer told Justice Esta Nambayo.

“We do not want the applicant (EC) to be in contempt of court. That is why we come to court. It is impossible to do anything in these remaining five months as currently EC is at the stage to prepare nominations,” he added.

Mr Sabiiti submitted the affidavit of Mr Hamid Lugoloobi in support of the EC arguments and said the commission also does not have funds to facilitate the fresh process. He said the only funds allocated for 2020/2021 can only handle already registered Ugandans.

However, Mr Deugratius Odokel, the lawyer of Mr Steven Kalali, a respondent in the petition, said the EC application was wrongly filed since the Commission already filed a notice to appeal the judgement which ordered prisoners and people in diaspora to vote.