The Uganda Human Rights Commission congratulates the Independent Electoral Commission ,all candidates and people of Uganda on the successful conclusion of election exercise.
“We commend the 1,655 election observers from international ,regional and national institutions accredited by the Eectoral Commission to observe the 2026 general elections including the African Union,Common Market for Easrern and Southern Africa,Intergovernmental Authority for Development,East AFRICAN community,European Union,United Kingdom,United States of America,China,Korea South Africa and others,”Maria Wangadya UHRC Chairperson stated while addressing the media in Kampala.
On the 15th January Ugandans wen to the polls to elect their president ,directly elected members of parliament and District Women members of parliament .The electoral commission registered 21,649,068 voters who were assigned to 50,739 stations across the country.
According to Wangadya about 121 observers were deployed to observe elections in 146 districts but UHRC observed that polling materials were delivered on time.
She further noted that although the electoral commission registered 21,649,068 voters of whom 11,366.201 cast ballots for presidential and parliamentary candidates,the turn out in the 2026 general elections declined by 52.50% compared to turn out in 2021 which stood at 58.35%
URHC observed that vulnerable persons especially those who needed help were supported by their personal helpers while electoral commission officials helped or assisted those who did not have personal helpers.
“The UHRC noted that the electoral commission identified polling station locations that were accessible to all persons or voters including older persons,persons with disabilities,expectant mothers among others.For instance UHRC observed that elections were conducted in poling stations located on open grounds such as school compounds,churches,football fields and other open flat grounds that were generally accessible,” Wangadgya stated.
UHRC further observed that security remained largely calm nationwide with regular police patrols around polling stations.According to Wangadya most security personnel were unarmed or lightly equipped to safe guard free voting participation.
URHC also observed that vote counting and tallying were conducted in accordance with electoral commission guidelines and procedures in the presence of candidates agents,voters and observers.
URHC however noted that Electoral Commission implemented temporary suspension of public access to the internet on the 13th January tow days to the polling day.According to UCC the limitation of internet access was to mitigate the rapid spread of online misinformation ,disinformation,electoral fraud and related risks as well as preventing the incitement of violence that could affect public confidence and national security during the electoral period.
The partial shut own impacted 17million internet subscribers limiting the right to access to information and freedom of expression and association.
In conclusion UHRC recommended that the Electoral Commission should conduct comprehensive training and large scale testing of all electoral technologies prior to polling
Secondly that a mandatory percentage of election financing should be allocated to voter education