KAMPALA, UGANDA: 26 December 2025— The Electoral Commission (EC) is “firmly on course” to deliver the 2026 General Elections, with Presidential and Parliamentary voting confirmed for Thursday, January 15, 2026.
In a comprehensive statement released on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi announced that the voter register stands at a record 21,681,491 registered citizens, with women constituting a majority at 53 percent (11,347,129 voters).
Justice Byabakama provided updates on the roadmap implementation, the deployment of new technology to ensure election integrity, and issued a strong warning against increasing acts of campaign non-compliance.
Key Dates Confirmed and Fresh Nominations
The Commission outlined the full schedule for the electoral cycle, which extends through early February 2026:
- Presidential & Parliamentary Elections: January 15, 2026
- District/City Chairpersons and Councillors: January 22, 2026
- Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Chairpersons and Councillors: February 4, 2026
The statement also confirmed that 83,597 candidates were successfully nominated to contest for 45,505 elective positions, from the Presidency down to the Sub County Councillor level.
However, the EC was forced to reschedule fresh nominations for November 27th and 28th, 2025, in seven electoral areas across the country where previously nominated Local Government candidates passed away.
Biometric Verification Kits Deployed
In a major push for credibility and the “One-Man/Woman-One Vote principle,” the EC confirmed the procurement and deployment of 109,142 Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs).
These upgraded kits—which use fingerprints and facial recognition to authenticate voter identity—will be deployed to all 50,739 polling stations nationwide. The Commission is currently recruiting over 50,000 persons to operate the BVVK machines and is commencing technical training and public demonstration sessions in the coming days.
Furthermore, the process of printing ballot papers is underway, with reputable international and local firms contracted for various elections. Justice Byabakama advised political parties to submit names of official agents for accreditation to witness the delivery of ballot papers to ensure full transparency.
EC Condemns Campaign Violence and Warns of Sanctions
While noting general compliance, the EC Chairperson expressed strong condemnation for emerging non-compliance issues and acts of violence during the ongoing campaign period.
Particular areas of concern cited included:
- Organising processions that violate traffic rules and disrupt trade.
- Making unscheduled stops and addressing the public in non-approved locations.
- Using defamatory words and language that incites disorder or threatens violence.
- Tearing, removing, or defacing candidates’ posters.
”We strongly condemn acts of violence, hooliganism, and intolerance that have been reported in some areas across the country,” Justice Byabakama stated, adding that the Commission “will not hesitate to apply sanctions against any individual or political party/organisation that violates the campaign guidelines or engages in activities that threaten the integrity of the electoral process.”
The EC also confirmed receiving and reviewing approximately 300 petitions and complaints arising from the nomination exercise, assuring the public that each case was carefully determined based on law and merit.
In closing, the Chairperson called upon all stakeholders—political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society, and the electorate—to adhere to lawful and peaceful participation throughout the entire electoral cycle.
