President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has endorsed the adoption of a biometric voting system in the upcoming 2026 general elections.
Speaking on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, during a meeting with Greater Luwero sub-region leaders at Timnah Nursery and Primary School, President Museveni said the government will implement biometric voter verification to ensure credible and tamper-proof elections.
He accused the opposition of orchestrating widespread vote rigging during the 2021 polls, particularly in Buganda and Busoga sub-regions.
“In Buganda and Busoga, the opposition stole over 2.7 million votes. We have evidence, and some culprits have already been arrested including those recently apprehended in Kawempe. This time, we are voting with biometrics,” the President declared.
Museveni accused some Electoral Commission officials of previously conspiring with opposition elements to block the use of biometric systems, claiming that sabotage was used as a political tool.
“They connived to say machines were not working. But we now know better. This time, the NRM must mobilize more seriously, and we shall deploy technology to ensure clean elections,” he said.
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has in previous statements denied allegations that the opposition engaged in vote rigging, instead accusing the government of manipulating the process.
The fresh accusations are likely to spark renewed political tension as Uganda edges closer to the 2026 polls.
President Museveni also used the meeting to reiterate his call for mass production and agricultural commercialization as the foundation for sustainable wealth creation.
“Private sector, especially agriculture, is the biggest job creator. Government jobs are limited. If we utilized even just 7 million of the 40 million acres available, Uganda could have a job surplus,” he explained.
He directed local leaders to ensure Parish Development Model (PDM) funds are fully protected from theft and mismanagement.
“The PDM must not be sabotaged. It is our vehicle to take every homestead into the money economy,” Museveni emphasized.
On Thursday, May 22, the President is expected to commission a cassava factory and later address a public rally in Nakasongola District, continuing his regional tour aimed at promoting wealth creation and evaluating PDM progress.
