President Museveni has directed the Minister in charge of Local Government Raphael Magyezi to present an amended budget for the coming local village elections in next week’s cabinet meeting.
The directive resulted from a heated debate as President Museveni and other ministers were protesting Shs56.9bn budget which Magyezi presented to cabinet to be approved so that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development releases funds to Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama’s Electoral Commission to organize the said election.
Sources in cabinet revealed to Ono Bwino that the President raised a red flag and asked Magyezi to explain why EC was asking for money to buy new cars yet there were cars used in the recent 2026 general elections.
“Magyezi looked clueless because the President was very serious. He wondered why the huge budget yet the election is going to be by lining up behind the candidates. He was supported by many ministers and Magyezi was advised to go back and get in touch with officers from the Electoral Commission and technocrats in his ministry to amend that budget,” a source said.
Sources added that the ministers left cabinet when they are not sure whether the village elections will be held before the swearing-in of the President and other elected leaders in May as the President directed because indications are clear that time is running out to prepare for smooth village election because the organisers claim what is holding them back are funds.
Minister Magyezi and the Electoral Commission recently announced that the election of local council leaders will be held at the end of April 2026 after numerous extensions of the holders’ periods in the office yet on ground, campaigns are in high gears.
When contacted, minister Magyezi said that by next week, the concerns of the President and his other colleagues in cabinet will be sorted and the village elections will be held as planned
The development comes days after veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda wrote a shocking commentary showing how self-seeking individuals close to the President are using his age to mislead him on decisions which are helping fraudsters and mafias to benefit from the taxpayers money.
He mentioned businessmen David Senfuka, Matthias Magoola and Nelson Tugume who have been collecting billions of monies from the country’s treasury and still pushing for more through their contacts close to the President.
