With Uganda’s general elections set for January 15, 2026, agents representing the eight presidential candidates, including incumbent Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), have urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to assert its independence and curb rising campaign violence that has already claimed two lives.
They warned that selective law enforcement threatens a free vote, potentially undermining the legitimacy of the 12th Parliament.
The concerns emerged during a closed-door meeting on December 3, convened by the EC and Uganda Police Force, the third such engagement since campaigns began. The session focused on what the EC described as “persistent and escalating breaches” of campaign guidelines.
Lewis Rubongoya, Secretary General of the National Unity Platform (NUP), sharply criticized the authorities for partiality:
“We’ve escalated from zero fatalities at our last meeting to two senseless deaths now, making Uganda resemble a battlefield. Elections demand peace and freedom, not selective suppression.”
Rubongoya cited Section 32 of the Police Act, which obligates police to regulate, not ban, public assemblies, contrasting NUP rallies, often dispersed with tear gas, dogs, and sound bombs, with NRM events conducted under heavy security.
“How can you block NUP processions while NRM candidates parade daily with police protection? Ferrying supporters in military trucks violates every electoral law, it’s blatant favoritism,” he added.
Other opposition agents, including FDC’s Augustine Ojobile and Conservative Party’s Elisha Simba, flagged issues like ghost voters and the need for a fully gazetted polling station list, urging the EC to uphold its neutrality.
National Peasants Party Secretary General Sheriff Ssentongo Nambale stressed, “Uganda hangs in the balance, the EC must safeguard every peasant’s voice. Our duty is to protect every vote.”
Defending police actions, Moses Byaruhanga, Museveni’s agent, emphasized public safety: “Rallies must stick to designated venues, blocking roads paralyzes movement. Crime knows no party; anyone breaking the law will face justice.”
EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama reminded candidates of their obligations under Article 61 of the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act, 2005, which empower the EC to issue binding regulations, restrict campaigning to 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., and prohibit activities before nominations close or within 24 hours of polling.
He condemned clashes in Kawempe and northern Uganda, linking deaths to unlawful processions and urging dialogue: “A duly nominated candidate can campaign nationwide, but only within the law. Disputes must be resolved peacefully, no election is worth a Ugandan life.”
At the parliamentary level, 2,771 candidates have been cleared to contest 353 directly elected seats, including 2,000 vying for constituency MP positions, 634 for women representatives, and 77 under Special Interest Groups representing youth, workers, persons with disabilities, and older persons.
The Commission also registered 521 candidates contesting for district and city chairperson positions. These contests, alongside presidential and local elections, will determine Uganda’s political landscape and the composition of the 12th Parliament.
Adding to tensions, a section of religious leaders in the Acholi Sub-region condemned violence during Kyagulanyi’s campaign visit to Gulu City. On Saturday, youth attacked traders, vandalized property, and assaulted some NUP supporters while security forces allegedly looked on.
Similar incidents occurred in Anaka Town Council, Nwoya district, when Kyagulanyi was blocked from addressing supporters by youth wearing NRM yellow T-shirts. Religious leaders warned that such actions reflect a deeply uneven political environment ahead of the elections.
Uganda has 21,681,491 registered voters (53% women) across 50,739 polling stations, with fresh nominations held November 27–28 in constituencies affected by candidate deaths, per Section 13 of the Electoral Laws.
Analysts note that the EC’s ability to enforce neutrality will not only shape the fairness of the 2026 elections but also the future effectiveness of Parliament in lawmaking, budget oversight, and holding the executive accountable, as mandated under Article 79 of the 1995 Constitution.
