Reacheal Wambuzi: The country is gearing up for the general election, where an estimated 21 Million voters are expected to cast ballots for their preferred candidates.
An estimated 70 percent of the voting population composes of largely youths, some of whom will be voting for their very first time.
Unlike the previous 2021 general election, which was characterized by restrictions in the movement of contestants due to the prevailing covid19 pandemic, this time round candidates have traversed different electoral areas, while marketing their manifestos for electorates to make informed decisions.
The presidential race, which attracted eight candidates seems to form most of the debate amongst electorates, with most of them formulating their political debates, before sharing insights on the other electoral positions.
The presidential candidates include; Mubarak Munyagwa of the Common man’s party-CMP, Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement-NRM, Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform-NUP, Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC, Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation-ANT, Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party-NPP, Frank Bulira, of the Revolutionary People’s Party-RPP and Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party-CP.
This general election will kickoff with the presidential and parliamentary elections on the 15th, January, 2025.
To a number of voters, the last week towards election enables them to develop a mental picture on who their leaders ought to be in the next five years, going forth.
Sylvia Nangobi is aged 19 years and she is a young voter, excited to cast her ballot for the very first time in her life.
Nangobi is working as a house help in Jinja city, which she says has enabled her not to only hear the news about the contesting candidates over radio, but equally watched them express themselves via television.
Nangobi thinks that, she has enough knowledge about credible electoral processes, following exposure to the different media outlets detailing their abilities, however, she is a voter in another district about 30 Kilometers away from Jinja city.
With her boss working as a businesswoman and opening shop everyday save for Sundays, Nangobi is skeptical on whether she will be granted leave to settle in her home district early enough and prepare for the general election.
Embedded in her plans is to seek leave from her boss on 09th, January, settle back to her electoral area on 10th the same month, as she settles for the general election expected in the preceeding five days ahead.
Unlike, Nangobi, Mbabazi Kaune, a house wife says that, she will mobilize all her family members between the 10th and 11th, as they prepare to cast their ballots.
Mbabazi, who boasts of participating in the previous four general election cycles noted that, these processes have evolved overtime, prompting electorates to adapt accordingly. “I have been actively participating in general elections for the past 20 years, however, each one of them creates a pattern, much different from the other. These patterns comprise of heightened violence majorly meted by security forces against opposition candidates, followed by hostilities amongst neighbors. These changing patterns force me to focus more on keeping my family together throughout the ballot casting days, as a means of ensuring zero exposure to any manner of violence,” she said.
Mbabazi entrenched that, her children are aged between 12 and 25, with three of them qualifying to vote, however, she plans to restrict them from participating in the final touches of the campaigns, which she expects to intensify between 10th and 13th, January, 2026.
This resolve, according to her is key in enabling children to tame themselves from election related excitement and in turn prepare to cast their ballots on 15th, January, 2025.
Mbabazi, who boasts of being a protective parent added, that, “stories of election related violence seem to be dominating the different media outlets in this last month towards and I don’t want my children to be victims of this violence. Therefore, keeping them home with me is much safer than releasing them out, because these final campaign touches are highly ignited with emotions and you will never know when violent episodes will erupt,”.
Sirina Kyakuwaire is a female councilor representing Mafubira ward at the Jinja city council, but she is the official agent of one of the parliamentary contestants in Jinja North.
Kyakuwaire said that, 10th and 11th, January, 2026 are key dates for her political camp to formulate final touches geared towards helping them to strengthen their grip with the people.
Kyakuwaire said that, 10th and 11th, January will be key dates for her to mobilize polling day agents, who are key in safeguarding their presumed victory. “For people like me, those two dates are called sleepless nights, because I have to identify polling day agents, process their forms and other logistical support. These preparations safeguard them from being influenced by our opponents,” she said.
She noted that, they have been gathering contacts from their supporters, while traversing the different electoral areas during their campaigns and they have earmarked 10th to 11th, as days for conducting a call center, geared towards reminding them on the need to vote.
Kyakuwaire envisions intensified underground campaigns even during restricted areas as a means of consolidating support, from voters from being swayed away by their opponents.
According to the electoral commission guidelines, campaigns for both presidential and parliamentary candidates close in on 13th, January, where the 14th date will enable them to rest and prepare for the polling day.
Flavia Nakasi, the Jinja city returning officer noted that, this period formulates the last dates for the distribution of voter allocation slips. “We expect all voters to have collected their voter allocation slips between 10th and 11th, January, since they provide extensive knowledge about their exact polling stations,” she said.
Nakasi also noted that, she will be stationed at her office 24/7, alongside the logistical team, preparing to recieve the ballot papers for both parliamentary and presidential candidates alike.
Nakasi also noted that, this is the time when candidates and their official agents alike to access guidance from the electoral commission officers on the polling day activities, without infringing on the set constitutional laws and guidelines, governing the process.
Meanwhile, Paul Batambuze, the president of the Jinja city NGO forum noted that, these two days will mark the climax of their online civic engagements, geared towards addressing voter apathy.
According to available data, voter apathy has a realtime fact in Uganda’s electoral processes since the early 2000’s. Available electoral commission data dates the highest voter turn up in 1996, when the NRA fighters were seeking legitimacy after capturing power in 1986. In here, it is detailed that, out of 8.7 Million registered voters at the time, 6.1 Million turned up to cast their ballot, accounting for 72%.
This record however, dropped to 70% in 2001, where 7.5 Million voters turned up to cast their ballot, out of the 10.7 Million registered voters.
A voter clean-up was conducted during the 2006 general election, where 600,000 voters were wiped of the register, lowering the numbers to 10.1 Million, however, 7.2 Million turned up, which amounted to 69.2%.
The number of registered voters increased to 13.9 Million in 2011, however, 8.2 Million turned up to vote, accounting for 59.3%.
Voter turn drastically improved in 2016, where 10.3 Million people turned up to vote, out of the 15.2 Million registered at the time, accounting for 67.6%, however, the deficit of 4.9 Million Ugandans who never voted still shows the rate of voter apathy.
This trend however, decreased in 2021, where 10.7 Million voters turned for the presidential and parliamentary elections, accounting for 59%, despite registration of 18.1 Million voters. With the figures of registered voters rising to an estimated 22 Million in the forthcoming general election of 2026, Batambuze said that, voter apathy might increase, which has largely informed their resolve to continuously leverage on the different social media platforms to sensitize voters about the importance of participating in the decision making processes, even when election day has drawn near.
