By Christopher Kisekka: In the aftermath of the January 2026 general elections, which were marked by widespread allegations of irregularities, violence, and manipulation, female polling officers from Wakiso district give disturbing accounts of intimidation, forced complicity, and personal endangerment.
Wakiso district, particularly Nansana Municipality, recorded tense and chaotic scenes during voting and counting. Opposition candidates protested discrepancies on declaration forms, citing altered figures and missing results. Across the country, election observers and media reports documented arrests of polling staff, heavy security deployments, and an atmosphere of fear surrounding the process.
Veteran polling officer Lilian Ndagire, who has worked in elections since 2011, described the 2026 process as the most chaotic and least transparent of her observations.
Stationed in Kazo, Nansana Municipality, she said polling staff were coerced into participating in ballot stuffing, an act she had never before witnessed.
“This election was the worst I have seen in terms of transparency and order,” Ndagire told The Other Voice. “Officers were forced to take part in ballot stuffing and other manipulations I never imagined. I feel deeply ashamed.”
The danger intensified during vote counting. “As we tallied votes in the evening, bullets were flying overhead,” she recalled. “Everyone was focused on survival rather than the work itself. Armed security and groups of unknown men from all political divides created panic.”
She said most officers at the centre were women, many of whom struggled to withstand the tension. Despite fear and pressure, many stayed because the Electoral Commission (EC) promised about 400,000 shillings pay, an amount some had never earned in a single payment.
Laula Nakabuye, another female polling officer spoke with The Other Voice reporter from Nabweru Police Station on the local council three polling day. Nakabuye, had been arrested alongside two colleagues. Police detained the group following the discovery of allegedly pre-ticked ballot papers in the possession of one officer.
“I had never been arrested in my life,” Nakabuye said. “I did nothing wrong, yet I have been treated like a criminal.” She alleged that police paraded the three before the media before any formal investigation, exposing their names and faces to public condemnation. “No one has listened to our side of the story,” she added as tears rolled down her cheeks.
According to police reports and information from the Resident District Commissioner’s office, one officer reportedly confessed to being instructed by colleagues to mark ballots in favour of a National Unity Platform candidate. However, Nakabuye strongly denied involvement, insisting the incident was fabricated.
Such arrests, several officers said, often stemmed from suspicion rather than solid evidence, leaving electoral workers exposed to legal jeopardy, psychological distress, and lasting reputational damage.
A third female polling officer, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals, highlighted the gender-specific vulnerabilities women faced during the process.
“Some men, including supervisors and politicians, made unwanted sexual advances while we were working long hours,” she explained. “You are exhausted, surrounded by people in authority, and afraid to object or report anything.” She described night-long shifts during the polling day with minimal rest or security, which heightened fatigue and left women more susceptible to coercion and intimidation.
“Supervisors issued instructions that could not be questioned,” she continued. “Refusal brought threats. Under that pressure, proper procedures simply collapsed.” Much of the coercion, she added, happened privately, with no witnesses and no effective reporting mechanisms available.
The consequences extended beyond election day. For instance, Ndagire reported ongoing hostility in their communities, where many former polling agents, mostly female, are accused of enabling fraud or being “used” in the disputed process.
“People insult us and threaten us in our neighborhoods,” Ndagire said. “The fear doesn’t end when the polls close.” Others avoided public spaces for weeks, living under a cloud of suspicion tied to the contested results.
As legal and political disputes over the 2026 results persist, the testimonies of these women serve as a stark reminder of the human cost behind electoral dysfunction. Ordinary citizens who stepped forward to facilitate the vote emerged traumatized, stigmatized, and, in some instances, criminalized.
