The African Union, COMESA and IGAD have rolled out a joint election observation mission to Uganda as the country prepares to vote in its general elections on January 15.
The mission was deployed at the request of Uganda’s government and Electoral Commission and is being led by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan. He is being supported by COMESA’s Ambassador Shemsudin Ahmed Roble and Commander Abebe Muluneh Beyene of IGAD. In total, 84 short-term observers from across Africa, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Algeria, have been assigned to monitor the polls.
The observers will track every stage of election day, from the opening of polling stations through voting, counting and the announcement of results. Their work will be assessed against Uganda’s electoral laws as well as continental and international standards such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. The mission will also engage with political parties, state institutions, civil society groups, the media and other observer teams. An initial statement is due on January 17, with a full report expected within a month of the official results.
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The deployment comes against a tense political backdrop. Prominent opposition figure Kizza Besigye remains in custody on charges that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has described as questionable, following his reported abduction from Kenya in November 2024.
Human rights groups have raised alarm over the pre-election environment. A recent OHCHR report documented what it called an intensifying crackdown on opposition politicians, journalists, civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The report cited arrests, raids on party offices, seizure of property, suspension of radio stations and the use of live ammunition to break up peaceful protests.
With international scrutiny now on the ground, the conduct of the January 15 vote will be closely watched across the region.
