Every time something comes to an end, something else begins.

There is a growing concern that has attracted debates amongst political parties, civil society, and the citizens on whether it is the end of a beginning or the beginning of the end to having free and fair elections in Uganda.

The global concern at the onset of the democratic recession has shone a spotlight on the integrity of elections. This is particularly true in countries that have the outward appearance of democracy through holding regular elections and making policy through the legislature, but in many ways continue to operate like authoritarian regimes. In these ‘electoral-authoritarian’ regimes, opposition parties often allege that governments are only able to remain in power by manipulating the electoral process.

Good examples can be taken from the recent 2023 elections in Bangladesh that have been met with both internal and external criticism: in Gabon, where even the military was forced to overthrow the longtime president Ali Bongo; in Sudan under Omar Bashir; and in Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe, to mention but a few.

While exercising his constitutional mandate, the president of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri K. Museveni, nominated new commissioners to the Independent Electoral Commission upon the expiry of their terms of office.

However, the appointments sparked intense discussion and criticism in Uganda’s political landscape. Critics argue that the appointment of former NRM party members to such crucial positions could risk the impartiality of the Electoral Commission and thus jeopardize the integrity of the 2026 elections.

Both the FDC Najjanankumbi and Katonga factions, in particular, have been vocal in expressing their reservations about the appointments. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, the NUP 2021 presidential flag bearer, mocked the new EC, saying that the mask has now been removed with NRM cadres joining the EC. At the same time, Dr. Kiiza Besigye also termed the EC as a walking stick for President Museveni.

Effective electoral administration in Uganda underpins our democracy. There cannot be democracy without elections, and elections cannot be free and fair unless electoral rules are fair and coherent, or properly administered and actively enforced.

It is quite important to note that, during the electioneering period, we are not always at war. During campaigns and throughout the election period, features such as the presence of armored vehicles, live bullets, detentions, and arrests despise democratic standards.

The mandate of the Electoral Commission has an impact on key issues such as electoral administration, the conduct of elections, and standards of propriety in financing political parties. Each of these issues has been the subject of recent public concern, and each affects the way people engage in politics and the broader question of political legitimacy.

Any reduction in the confidence and integrity of the electoral administration process is a real threat to the country’s democracy, and the possibility of having a free and fair election in Uganda in 2026 is close to zero.

Added to this are concerns about the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the electoral register and the significant variations in standards of electoral administration across the country given the several cases of electoral violence, ballot staffing, and pre-ticked ballots, as seen in Bukedea district LC5 by elections and in Kayunga, to mention but a few, where the substantiality test was completely narrowed down. We witness the by-elections turn violent like we are watching ‘an action pact movie’ of John Rambo or Schwaziniger, at times even with bloodshed.

Does the EC have the ability to rectify this mistake? Obviously yes, but only with a well-oriented security apparatus from the Uganda Police Force and well-sensitized citizens on political education.

Also, there was a reduction in confidence in the framework for the regulation of political party funding and campaign expenditure, caused in part by the controversy surrounding large spending taken out by the main parties like the NRM, NUP, and FDC and undeclared at the time of the last general election.

No wonder the current fracture and mistrust between the FDC Katonga and the Najjanankumbi faction was much instigated by the so-called ‘dirty money’ whose source wasn’t disclosed until today. The Katonga faction has always alleged the ‘dirty money’ in question came from President Museveni and State House, purposely to fight NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi in the 2021 elections.

Is it possible for political parties to declare their funding sources and expenditures? The EC should answer!

More so, there have been talks of electoral reforms, but in my view, this should work out to purposely give Ugandans in the diaspora their rights to vote as enshrined in the constitution, well, like we saw the Kenyans in Uganda going to the Kampala embassy to vote, like it was to Kenyans stationed in the rest of the world. Every Ugandan has a right to vote, no matter where he or she is stationed.

Also, the reforms should aim at getting the national army, the Uganda Peoples Defence Force, out of the electoral process, either in the arrest, suppression, or conduct of the elections, as in most cases; these have been often documented as the perpetrators of the electoral violence.

The Uganda Police Force should be well-empowered and oriented to work for the EC. Will these reforms surely be implemented? I don’t know! I’m just an ordinary Ugandan.

Finally, as we head into 2026, Uganda and the international community anticipate peaceful, free, and fair elections. The extent to which the Electoral Commission can operate independently of political pressures and external interference is an important driver of public perceptions of electoral integrity.

A commission that is seen as compromised is unlikely to be able to confer credibility on a contested general election like the one we are heading for in 2026. In turn, this may undermine the legitimacy of the wider political system. Therefore, the EC is yet to face the task of building assurance among the citizens about its capability to deliver a head of state in 2026.

I would like to see or hear my brother Paul Bukenya, the EC mouthpiece, assure the citizens whether it is the end of a beginning or the beginning of the end to having free and fair elections in Uganda.