KAMPALA — The East African Community (EAC) Election Observation Mission has commended Ugandans for conducting largely peaceful and orderly presidential and general elections, while highlighting operational challenges and legal gaps that require reforms ahead of future polls.
Presenting its preliminary statement on the January 2026 elections, the EAC Mission said the electoral environment was generally calm, competitive and conducive, reflecting growing public interest in governance and democratic participation .
The Mission, deployed at the invitation of Uganda’s Electoral Commission, was led by Ambassador Edda Mukabagwiza and comprised 58 observers drawn from EAC Partner States. Observers were deployed across all regions of the country, monitoring campaigns, polling, counting and tallying processes in 184 polling stations nationwide .
Ambassador Edda Mukabagwiza
According to the report, Uganda’s 1995 Constitution and related electoral laws provided a solid legal foundation for the elections, consistent with regional and international democratic commitments. The political contest featured eight presidential candidates and 27 political parties, offering voters a broad range of choices .
The EAC Mission noted a significant increase in voter registration, with 21.68 million registered voters—up 17 percent from the 2021 elections. Women accounted for 53 percent of registered voters, a development the Mission described as a positive indicator of women’s participation in the electoral process .
However, observers raised concerns over delays in the opening of polling stations, with many starting up to three hours late due to late delivery of materials, malfunctioning biometric voter verification kits, and delayed set-up. While voting proceeded peacefully, the delays caused frustration among some voters, leading a number to leave before casting their ballots .
The Mission also pointed to a “considerable number” of invalid votes and urged the Electoral Commission to strengthen voter education to reduce ballot errors in future elections .
Another major concern highlighted was the suspension of public internet access on 13 January 2026 by the Uganda Communications Commission, which the Mission said disrupted observation activities and limited public access to information during a critical phase of the electoral process .
While commending the professionalism of polling officials and the non-intrusive conduct of security personnel, the observers recommended reforms to address campaign financing, improve nomination procedures, ensure timely delivery of materials, and prevent future disruptions to digital communication during elections .
In its conclusion, the EAC Mission congratulated Ugandans for exercising their democratic rights and urged all stakeholders to maintain peace as the electoral process continues, calling on any aggrieved parties to seek redress through lawful and peaceful means
