The Uganda Electoral Commission is a government body tasked with organizing, conducting, and managing regular, free, and fair elections in an impartial, professional, and efficient manner. Its vision is “To be a model organization and center of excellence in election management,” and its goal is “To promote participatory democracy and good governance for the country’s prosperity.”
The Commission was established under Article 60 of the 1995 Constitution, which called for the creation of a permanent electoral body with the mandate to ensure democratic governance. However, it wasn’t until May 1997, with the enactment of the Electoral Commission Act by the Ugandan Parliament, that the Commission was formally set up as an independent body responsible for organizing, supervising, and overseeing elections and referenda in the country.
Since the establishment of the Electoral Commission Act, the Commission has experienced three leadership phases. The first was chaired by Hajji Aziz K. Kasujja, who served from 1997 to 2001, along with his deputy Frola Nkurukenda and five other commissioners. The second phase, starting in 2002, was led by Eng.Dr. Badru Kiggundu, with Sr. Margret Magoola as his deputy, and continued until 2016 with five other commissioners. The current leadership, which has been in place since 2017, is headed by Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon and deputized by Hajjati Aisha Lubega, along with commissioners Peter Emorut, Steven Tashobya, Nathaline Etomaru, Mustapha Ssebaggala Kigozu, and Justine Ahabwe Mugabi.
Headquartered at Plot 55, Jinja Road, in Kampala’s central division, the Electoral Commission is responsible for ensuring that elections and referenda are carried out in accordance with the Constitution. This includes organizing and supervising elections, demarcating constituencies based on constitutional guidelines, and compiling, maintaining, revising, and updating the National Voters’ Register. The Commission also manages other registers, such as those for youth and persons with disabilities, and works to educate the public on electoral processes through civic education programs.
While the Electoral Commission is committed to impartiality and professionalism, it faces several challenges, such as delayed and constrained funding, public distrust, election-related violence, and political influences, which can hinder the execution of its duties.
Despite these obstacles, the Commission has made significant achievements, including expanding the National Voters’ Register through online voter registration, successfully conducting presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections, raising public awareness about electoral processes, and managing various by-elections and referenda.
As Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, the Electoral Commission is actively working to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process, with efforts focused on improving logistics, voter education, and election management.