Another batch of ballot papers at Entebbe International Airport received for the general elections.
The Electoral Commission on Sunday received the third consignment of ballot papers at Entebbe International Airport as preparations intensify for Uganda’s January 15 general elections.
The shipment, which includes ballot papers for District and City Chairpersons and District Women Councillors, arrives with just 11 days remaining before polling, underscoring the logistical intensity and political stakes of one of Africa’s largest electoral exercises this year.
Under tight security, the pallets, sealed and wrapped, were offloaded from a cargo aircraft in the presence of EC officials, representatives of political parties, security agencies, and the media, a gesture aimed at reinforcing transparency amid lingering public mistrust rooted in disputed past elections.
The latest delivery follows two earlier consignments received in late December 2025, signaling that the bulk of sensitive voting materials are now in-country as the election clock ticks down.
The EC has adopted a phased importation strategy for ballot papers, a practice it says reduces logistical risks and enhances oversight.
The first consignment, presidential ballot papers for more than 21.6 million registered voters, arrived on December 24, 2025, Christmas Eve, and was formally received the following day under the supervision of EC Chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, senior commissioners, political party agents, and observers.
Just hours later, on December 25, a second batch comprising ballot papers for Directly Elected Members of Parliament was delivered. By December 29, the EC had begun packing presidential ballots at its warehouses, again in the presence of political stakeholders.
Speaking at Entebbe on Sunday, EC spokesperson Julius Musinguzi said the Commission was on track to complete receipt of all externally printed ballot papers within the week. “Today, January 4, 2026, the Commission received ballot papers for district and city chairpersons and district women councillors,” Musinguzi said.
“Ballot papers for district women councillors have arrived in full, while about 90 percent of those for district and city chairpersons have been delivered.”
Uganda currently has 146 districts and cities, each requiring tailored ballot quantities based on registered voter numbers.
“In total, we received 247 pallets, 144 for district and city chairpersons and 103 for district women councillors,” he added. “These materials have been safely offloaded and will be packed according to their destinations before dispatch.”
Musinguzi emphasized that the Commission’s legal obligation is to ensure timely delivery of all election materials.
“Our duty under the law is to ensure that by polling day, all materials are at polling stations so that voting starts on time,” he said. “That process is ongoing, and we remain on schedule.”
Legal Framework and Printing Arrangements
The preparation, custody, and distribution of ballot papers are governed by Article 61 of the Constitution, the Electoral Commission Act (Cap. 140), the Parliamentary Elections Act, and the Local Governments Act, which collectively mandate the EC to conduct elections in a free, fair, and timely manner.
In line with past electoral cycles, the EC outsourced ballot printing to a mix of international and domestic firms, citing limited local capacity to meet the scale and security requirements of national elections.
The ballot papers received on Sunday were printed in Dubai, with companies involved including Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing, Pictorial, and Graphics Systems. Transportation was handled by Network Aviation Group.
Overall, ballot printing for the 2026 elections has been shared among firms in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Greece, Kenya, and Uganda, including Uniprint, Inform Lycos, Sintel Security, Graphics Systems, and Peak Fair.
The EC says the materials are meant to serve 50,739 polling stations nationwide.
High-Stakes Vote Amid Heightened Tension
The January 15 polls will see Ugandans elect a President, Members of Parliament, and local government leaders, under the multi-party system reinstated in 2005 after nearly two decades of no-party rule.
With 21,681,491 registered voters, up from about 18 million in 2021, the elections represent a significant expansion in voter participation. The EC cleared eight presidential candidates during nominations conducted between September and October 2025, including incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
Parliamentary contests span 353 constituencies, while at the local government level, more than 10,000 candidates are competing for district chairperson and councillor positions across the country. As voter education and distribution of Voter Location Slips continue, political tension remains high.
Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba last month warned voters to avoid unrest on polling day, while opposition leaders have cautioned against electoral malpractice.
Bobi Wine has urged vigilance, saying, “We are watching every step of this process. Any attempt to rig the election will not go unchallenged.”
For its part, the EC insists it is committed to credibility. Speaking to the media in November, Chairperson Byabakama said the Commission’s preparations were on course. “Our processes are transparent, and we are steadily delivering on our constitutional mandate to conduct free and fair elections,” he said.
As ballot papers begin their journey to districts across the country, Uganda enters the final, and most scrutinized, phase of an election that could shape its political direction for years to come.
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