First Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament Oyet Nathaniel speaks on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. July 14, 2023. | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio

The First Deputy Speaker of the national parliament Oyet Nathaniel said Friday the draft 2023/2024 fiscal year budget has not allocated funding for the planned elections end of next year.

Oyet said the budget has also failed to allocate any amount for the permanent constitution-making, census, and judicial reforms among others that are pre-requisite for elections.

“We have seen no allocation for the conduct of elections and election-related activities, including the permanent constitution, including the census,” the lawmaker said.

Last month, the Minister of Finance and Planning tabled before the August House a proposed budget of more than two trillion pounds for the fiscal year 2023/2024.

The draft budget increased the salaries of civil servants and members of the organized forces by 400 percent.

In the proposed budget, more than 50 billion pounds have been allocated to peace implementation.

But according to deputy speaker Oyet, elections are not part of the peace implementation budget.

“There is a peace budget that is allocated as a lump sum, but it is also not adequate, because you have the unification of forces where you have to train second phase later. Even these ones in the first phase, we have not yet completed all their activities including deployment” he said while speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show.

“Conduct of elections is not in the budget, permanent constitution making process is not in the budget, the census is also not in the budget, and these are very critical matters related to elections, the judicial reforms are also not in the budget.”