Entebbe, Uganda: The Independent Electoral Commission (EC) has received a consignment of 193 sealed pallets containing more than 21.6 million presidential ballot papers, marking a major logistical milestone ahead of Uganda’s January 15, 2026 General Election.
The ballots arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Wednesday, December 24, at around 9:00pm, aboard a chartered aircraft from Dubai, under tight security and in the presence of representatives of presidential candidates, political parties, election observers, and the media.
EC Chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama said the delivery demonstrates the Commission’s readiness to conduct the presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections as scheduled.
“Today we received the presidential ballot papers, and tomorrow we shall receive the parliamentary ones,” Justice Byabakama said shortly after the consignment was offloaded.
Uganda currently has more than 21.6 million registered voters, and the ballot papers are intended for use in the presidential election, one of the three tiers of polls to be held on the same day.
On security and storage of the consignment, Byabakama said the ballots would be immediately transported to designated EC warehouses under strict security arrangements, emphasising that safeguarding electoral materials from arrival through polling day remains a top priority.
“We are moving these materials immediately to our designated warehouses,” he said.
Addressing public concerns over the number of ballot papers printed, the EC Chairperson clarified that producing ballots in excess of the registered voter count is a legal and operational requirement, aimed at preventing disruptions caused by clerical or logistical errors on polling day.
The surplus, he explained, ensures that no eligible voter is turned away, thereby protecting the constitutional right to vote.
The 2026 presidential race features eight candidates representing different political parties. These are Robert Kyagulanyi (NUP), Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC), Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu (ANT), Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party), Frank Kabinga Bulira (RPP), incumbent President Yoweri Museveni (NRM), Elton John Mabirizi (Conservative Party), and Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party).
Overall, the EC has nominated 83,597 candidates to contest for 45,505 positions across presidential, parliamentary, and local government levels. Of these, more than 2,000 are parliamentary candidates, while the rest are vying for various local government positions nationwide.
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