The Electoral Commission has officially set Thursday, 15 January 2026, as the polling day for the country’s next presidential and parliamentary elections—the seventh such vote since 1996.

Justice Simon Byabakama, the EC’s chairperson, told reporters the announcement follows the successful nomination of presidential candidates on 23 and 24 September 2025 and the commencement of campaigns on 29 September. 

Eight presidential candidates were nominated, four of whom are first-time contenders.

Justice Byabakama commended candidates and their supporters for maintaining “peaceful conduct” so far and urged all stakeholders to sustain that spirit through the campaigns and election period.

Polling for Members of Parliament—both directly elected constituency representatives and District Woman MPs—will take place on the same day, 15 January 2026. 

Elections for Special Interest Groups, such as Youths, Persons with Disabilities, Workers, Older Persons and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), will be held between 13 January and 9 February 2026, on dates yet to be specified.

A total of 519 seats (353 for directly elected MPs, 146 for district woman representatives and five special interest groups, each with five representatives) will be up for grabs. The commission did not include seats for the UPDF.

Nomination of parliamentary candidates will be held on Wednesday 22 and on Thursday 23 October 2025, at all district and city headquarters from 9am to 5pm. 

Aspirants are required to pay a nomination fee of shs3 million through authorised Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) channels, present certified academic documents (minimum of Advanced Level or equivalent), and submit proof of resignation if they are public servants.

To ensure order, each aspirant will be allowed only two vehicles in their convoy, each bearing police stickers and carrying no more than 10 people. 

Candidates who are successfully nominated may hold manifesto-launch meetings in compliance with traffic and public assembly regulations. Campaigns will officially run from 10 November 2025 to 13 January 2026.

The Commission has also established a help desk with toll-free numbers (0800 300121 and 0800 300122) to handle nomination-related queries.

Justice Byabakama emphasised that the commission remains committed to “integrity, transparency, and professionalism” in managing the process.

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