Overview:
The 2026 general elections, which handed President Yoweri Museveni a seventh-term victory, were overshadowed by controversy, including an internet shutdown, widespread allegations of irregularities, security interference, and restricted civic space.
Three opposition legislators from Luwero District have strongly condemned what they describe as grossly undemocratic practices that marred recent elections in their constituencies, urging the government to demonstrate a genuine commitment to comprehensive electoral reforms.
The MPs—Robert Ssekitooleko (Bamunanika County), Hassan Kirumira (Katikamu South), and Brenda Nabukenya (Luwero Woman MP), all from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and re-elected to the 12th Parliament—spoke to journalists in Luwero town, highlighting a range of irregularities that undermined democratic processes.
According to the legislators, the January 15 presidential and parliamentary elections, alongside subsequent local government polls, were marred by chaos, violence, voter intimidation, lack of transparency, vote rigging, interference in tallying, restricted access to vote counting, and abuse of security forces. They argued that these developments point to a worrying decline in democratic governance in the district.
Ssekitooleko warned that the normalization of electoral violence and malpractice, particularly in the age of social media, sets a dangerous precedent for young voters, who may grow up perceiving such conduct as acceptable. He noted that routine ballot stuffing, intimidation, violence, and opaque tallying threaten the future of democracy and erode public trust in institutions mandated to conduct free and fair elections.
Kirumira added that voting patterns and election-day experiences in Luwero District exposed deep structural weaknesses within the Electoral Commission (EC), citing biased officiating, contradictory results, and failure to adhere to electoral laws as evidence that urgent reforms are required. Nabukenya expressed concern over the increasing scale of electoral malpractice, particularly vote rigging and manipulation of results, noting that each election cycle appears more flawed than the previous one.
The MPs’ concerns were reinforced by repeated election-related skirmishes in the region. On Friday, January 23, 2026, opposition NUP candidate Erastus Kibirango was declared winner of the Luwero District LC V seat after hours of chaos that disrupted the tallying process, amid allegations of vote rigging and interference by electoral officials.
Earlier incidents contributed to heightened tensions. During the local government elections, Moses Kiconco, the Luwero District EC Returning Officer, controversially declared Rehema Musa Abdullah the winner of the LC V councillor seat for Nyimbwa Sub-county and Ndejje Town Council, defeating NUP’s Irene Nakigudde. The declaration sparked protests and confusion.
Further unrest occurred during the January 15 polls at Luwero Islamic Primary School, where police reportedly blocked voters and agents from observing vote counting, triggering violent protests. The clashes left three people dead and 34 others arrested, highlighting concerns over excessive use of force, suppression of transparency, and voter intimidation.
In a related development, Nakaseke Central MP Allan Mayanja Ssebunya claimed he was rigged out during his re-election bid after Aidah Tusiime, the Nakaseke District EC Returning Officer, announced NRM’s Joseph Kabuye Kyofatogabye as the winner. Official results showed Kyofatogabye polling 13,678 votes against Ssebunya’s 8,178—a declaration the incumbent continues to dispute.
The concerns over electoral integrity have resonated beyond Luwero. Religious and political leaders have echoed calls for reform. The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, emphasized the need for post-election reforms, youth participation, and greater electoral transparency. Similarly, Michael Mabikke Sseninde, Secretary General of the opposition Democratic Front (DF), while conceding defeat, called for measures to strengthen fairness, accountability, and respect for the will of the electorate.
The 2026 general elections, which handed President Yoweri Museveni a seventh-term victory, were overshadowed by controversy, including an internet shutdown, widespread allegations of irregularities, security interference, and restricted civic space. Observers say these developments have intensified nationwide pressure for deep, meaningful, and fully implemented electoral reforms to restore public confidence in Uganda’s democratic process.
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