KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandans will go to the polls Jan. 15, 2026, to elect a president and members of parliament, the country’s electoral body announced Friday.
The date is the center of a sweeping election calendar released by the Electoral Commission that spans nearly a month of voting for offices ranging from the presidency to village-level councilors.
Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, chairman of the commission, said in a statement that the dates were set in accordance with the country’s constitution. The announcement effectively kicks off the formal countdown to a vote in which President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, is widely expected to seek a new term.
Following the Jan. 15 national vote, elections for district governors and mayors in major cities will be held Jan. 22. Voters will return to the polls Jan. 27 to choose heads of municipalities and city divisions.
The schedule also includes a series of indirect elections for special interest groups, including representatives for the youth, workers and persons with disabilities, which will run through Feb. 6.
Election officials urged candidates and the public to adhere to the schedule to ensure a peaceful process. The commission is expected to deploy biometric voter verification machines at all polling stations, a move intended to curb double voting and fraud.
The 2026 contest follows a 2021 election marked by crackdowns on opposition figures and internet shutdowns. Security remains a primary concern for observers as political parties begin mobilizing across the East African nation of 48 million people.
