Kampala, Uganda – The Ugandan government has issued a formal warning to voters to keep a minimum distance of 20 meters from polling stations after casting their ballots, as authorities seek to ease rising political tensions and clarify lawful conduct ahead of next month’s general elections.
The guidance follows sustained public debate sparked by earlier statements from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which advised citizens to vote and return home rather than remain around polling areas.
While the message was framed as a security precaution, it generated uncertainty over whether staying near polling stations after voting was prohibited by law.
The debate first intensified after the UPDF Deputy Spokesperson, Col Henry Obbo, urged voters to leave polling stations immediately after voting, cautioning that crowds could create security risks or intimidate other voters.
“When you finish voting, please go home and wait for the announcement of results or the time of counting. That is when you could go back, instead of crowding polling stations and becoming a security threat,” Obbo said.
Opposition parties, particularly the National Unity Platform, strongly challenged the advice. NUP has encouraged its supporters to turn up in large numbers, vote, and remain alert in order to protect the integrity of the vote.
The party argues that voters staying near polling areas can help deter electoral malpractice, including ballot stuffing, which it claims affected the credibility of the 2021 elections.
As disagreements deepened, the Electoral Commission echoed the call for voters to leave polling stations after voting. EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama noted that many polling centres are located in busy or congested areas, making it impractical for voters to linger nearby without causing disruption.
The issue gained further prominence after the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, warned the public against staying at polling stations once they had voted. This prompted opposition lawmakers to raise the matter in Parliament, demanding a clear legal position from the Attorney General.
Responding on the floor of the House, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka clarified that while voters must not remain within polling stations after voting, the law permits them to stay at a lawful distance.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that after voting, you must not stay at the polling station. When you are 20 meters away, that is not a polling station. Twenty meters, one hundred meters, that is perfectly lawful, but not at the polling station,” Kiwanuka told Parliament.
Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda questioned the growing role of the military in election-related messaging.
“The CDF has said after voting, don’t hang around polling stations. The law is clear; voters can stay at a distance described by law. What concerns us is why the military is speaking more about elections than the Electoral Commission,” Ssemujju said.
In response, Kiwanuka maintained that the military has not assumed responsibility for election management. “The organization, management and supervision of elections in Uganda remain the sole mandate of the Electoral Commission,” he said.
The government’s clarification is expected to guide voters and security agencies during polling, reinforcing legal boundaries while attempting to balance public order with citizens’ rights during the electoral process.
