Ugandan church leaders have called for peace and warned against bribery ahead of the January 15, 2026, elections, in which incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is seeking re-election.
During the New Year sermons, Bishop Charles Collins Andaku of Ma’di and West Nile diocese, urged Christians and Ugandans to vote wisely and peacefully.
“I pray that God gives us peaceful, free, and fair elections in 2026. I appeal that every grown-up person should go and cast his or her vote wisely and peacefully,” said Bishop Charles.
Also, Orthodox Archbishop Jeronymos Muzeeyi, during Christmas prayers, called on Ugandans to uphold peace, unity, and love as the country approaches forthcoming elections, urging citizens to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects God’s will and the true spirit of Christmas.
“This is what is expected of us now, especially when Uganda, our motherland, is in a season of political campaign to choose her leaders,” Muzeeyi said
“Let the celebration of the Birth of the Son of God, our salvation, take place in our Orthodox Christian hearts, our families, our political rallies, and our polling stations.”
Ugandan Church leaders call for Peace as Ugandan Elections Approach
The appeals from church leaders come at a time when opposition candidates say they have faced intimidation during campaign activities.
During the campaigns, Uganda’s opposition candidate Bobi Wine stated that he was beaten on December 6, 2025, alongside his aides and supporters by security forces while campaigning in Gulu ahead of the country’s presidential election on January 15, 2026.
He is the leading opposition candidate challenging President Yoweri Museveni for the second time, after coming second in the 2021 election.
In posts on his X account, Wine said he was hit in the face with a cane and that other supporters were also beaten and had to be hospitalized, as they approached a campaign venue in Gulu.
“Criminals in police and military uniform attacked us with sticks and stones and started beating up our people,” he wrote on X.
“One of the thugs hit me with a stick on the face… several comrades are hospitalized, “said Bobi.
Elsewhere, an opponent and critic of longtime President Yoweri Museveni, Kizza Besigye, was charged with treason in February 2025.
Uganda’s elections come after East Africa has reported election-related chaos.
Also Read: Uganda Addresses Alleged Plot to Rig Elections After Bobi Wine Exposé
In Tanzania, after the elections, police announced a nationwide curfew starting at 6 PM East Africa Time (EAT) amid ongoing unrest.
Regarding the elections, polling stations were destroyed across Tanzania, and citizens were killed, leading to contamination in East African nations.
Opposition Claims of Election Irregularities and the Commission’s Response
Bobi claimed that the Uganda Electoral Commission was involved in the alleged irregularities in the National Voters Register (NVR).
However, the commission addressed Robert Kyagulanyi’s claims of alleged irregularities.
In a statement dated December 28, Kyagulanyi cited instances in which two Voter Location Slips were issued to an individual named Matovu Ronald, suggesting that the Commission allowed multiple registrations to facilitate fraudulent voting.
“The Electoral Commission has noted a statement circulating on the social media platform X by Mr. Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu, the flag bearer of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in the 2026 Presidential Elections, alleging irregularities in the National Voters Register (NVR),” read part of their statement.
Also Read: Uganda’s Electoral Commission Issues Demand to Museveni’s Govt After Bobi Wine Attacked
However, the Commission clarified that the two voter slips referenced by Mr. Kyagulanyi belong to separate individuals registered in different electoral areas.
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