Political Parties Urged to Align Manifestos with Uganda’s NDPIV
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Government has urged political parties to align their manifestos with the Fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV). Minister Amos Lugoloobi highlighted the importance of this alignment during a parliamentary session.
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Political parties have been urged to align their manifestos with Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV), which is currently under review in Parliament.
The State Minister for Planning, Hon. Amos Lugoloobi, made this appeal during the parliamentary plenary session on January 7, 2025, following concerns raised by Hon. Idi Isabirye (Bunya South) about discrepancies between projects outlined in political party manifestos and those included in the NDP.
This appeal comes as the country prepares for the general elections scheduled for early next year, with campaigns set to commence later this year.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that preparations will begin with the update of the National Voters’ Register, which will take place from January 20 to February 10, 2025.
In a press release, EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi explained that the original timeline outlined in the Commission’s Roadmap for the 2025/2026 general elections had initially scheduled the update to run from January 3 to January 24, 2025. However, the dates have been adjusted to facilitate more effective preparations for the elections.
As stipulated under Article 61(1)(e) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995, as amended) and Sections 18 and 20 of the Electoral Commission Act (Cap 140), the EC is mandated to compile, maintain, and update the National Voters’ Register.
Mid-Term Review Scheduled
Minister Lugoloobi also announced a mid-term review of the NDPIV, which will allow for the inclusion of priorities from the winning party’s manifesto.
During the session, Hon. Isiagi proposed conducting the review annually instead of the planned two-and-a-half-year interval. However, Minister Lugoloobi rejected this suggestion, emphasizing that the policy framework mandates a review every two and a half years.