Some 21 million Ugandans are expected to take part in the general elections on Thursday, January 15, to vote for the president and Members of Parliament. Eight candidates are contesting for the presidency, including incumbent President Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). ALSO READ: Mukabagwiza leads EAC observers for Ugandan elections The other candidates are Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform, Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party, Joseph Mabirizi of the Conservative Party and Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change. Also in the race are Gregory Mugisha Muntu of the Alliance for National Transformation, Mubarak Munyagwa of the Common Man's Party and Frank Bulira Kabinga of the Revolutionary People's Party. ALSO READ: Uganda declares public holidays ahead of elections According to the Electoral Commission, Uganda has 21,681,491 registered voters and 50,739 polling stations across 146 districts as of December 2025. Polling stations were expected to open at 7am, but delays were reported in the capital Kampala and other parts of the country, according to local media. Some polling stations had not received biometric voter verification machines by 10am while stations reported technical glitches. The Electoral Commission issued the recommendation to vote manually to avoid turning away voters.
