The municipal and division mayoral elections in Kampala and its metropolitan areas on Tuesday marked the return of the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs), two weeks after their controversial failure during the presidential and parliamentary elections held on January 15. While the election officers at various polling stations insisted that the technology functioned better this time, the polls were largely overshadowed by low voter turnout, delayed polling, logistical challenges, and renewed allegations of interference in several areas.
Across Kampala’s five divisions, Rubaga, Makindye, Kawempe, Central and Nakawa, as well as Mukono and Wakiso districts, polling officials waited for voters who never came on time, while candidates expressed frustration over apathy, technical glitches, and what they described as a shrinking public trust in the electoral process. Voting in Rubaga Division was characterised by a thin turnout, late opening of polling stations, technological challenges, and allegations of interference, as candidates and voters raised concerns about the integrity of the process.
The incumbent Rubaga Division Mayor, Mr Mbeeraze Zacchy Mawula of the National Unity Platform (NUP), cast his vote at Kampala University Polling Station in Mutundwe II, Kampala. Addressing journalists shortly after voting, Mr Mawula called on security agencies to execute their mandate professionally by protecting voters and safeguarding ballot materials. ‘There have been reports of ballot boxes allegedly being tampered with before reaching tally centres,’ Mr Mawula said. ‘This practice is unfair to candidates and threatens public confidence in elections.’
Biometric machines return
On the use of biometric technology, Mr Mawula acknowledged improvement compared to the presidential and parliamentary elections, saying the machines were largely efficient and time-saving. ‘When the biometric machines work as intended, they reduce the risk of ballot stuffing because all voters are digitally recorded,’ he said. ‘This enhances transparency and credibility.’ However, several polling stations across Rubaga South Division in Kampala struggled to begin voting on time.
At Kitebi Primary School, voting was delayed despite the timely arrival of materials, as officials failed to secure the minimum number of voters required by law to witness the opening of the polling materials. Mr Husein Waibi, a polling assistant, explained that the delay was procedural. ‘The law does not allow us to begin voting without the required number of witnesses,’ he said. ‘We are hopeful that more voters will come as the day goes on.’ Mr Siraje Kifampa, the People’s Front for Freedom mayoral candidate in Rubaga, said the situation could significantly affect the outcome.
‘Very few people have shown up to vote,’ Mr Kifampa said. ‘Low turnout directly affects candidates’ performance.’
Similarly, Mr Abdul Karim Kiggundu, a candidate for LC3 councillor in Mutundwe, blamed the apathy on limited voter education. ‘Many voters do not understand the importance of local government elections,’ he said. At Kasumba Zone, Kibuye Market Polling Station, voting began at around 10.30am after the BVVK machines failed to verify several voters.
The presiding officer, Mr Rashid Otete, later allowed those not verified biometrically to use the manual register. Even then, verification took between six and 10 minutes per voter, causing long queues. Ms Rita Nakanjako, one of the affected voters, said the process was frustrating. ‘I was rejected by the machine and had to rely on the manual register. It was stressful,’ she said. Opposition candidates also raised allegations of interference. Mr Moses Kasibante, the Democratic Front mayoral candidate, alleged that ballot boxes were taken and polling agents beaten by groups of goons in parts of Nateete and Namirembe.
‘These incidents, if not addressed, will undermine the credibility of the election,’ Mr Kasibante warned. Voters busy elsewhere? In Makindye West Division, particularly at Madiriza Zone, Kasawe Polling Station, polling officers and agents were seen seated idly, waiting for voters amid low turnout. Mr Deo Genza, the chairperson of the Makindye Division Urban Council boda boda stage, expressed concern over the low turnout. ‘Many people have gone to work. That is why the turnout is low,’ Mr Genza said. ‘The government should consider declaring election days public holidays,’ he added.
He added that Makindye West Division has 12 parishes, 436 polling stations, and more than 255,000 registered voters, yet turnout remained worryingly low. Ms Shamin Nassali, a polling assistant at the same polling station, said voting was proceeding smoothly despite the low turnout. ‘The biometric machines are working this time, so voting is moving well,’ she said. In Makindye East, voting was also delayed at several polling stations. A light morning drizzle affected voting in some areas, while in others such as Golden Eagle Junior School and Pantaleo Betty’s place in Kabalagala, materials reached in time but there were no voters.
By 1pm, about two voters had showed up in a 20-minute span at some polling stations. At Munyonyo Gardens Polling Station, voting was delayed until 11.30am after the Electoral Commission (EC) supplied the wrong ballot papers for Salaam A and B councillor positions. Mr Francis Sseguya, the NUP candidate for Salaam A, accused the EC of negligence. ‘Many of my supporters missed voting because ballot papers were not available until late,’ he said. ‘The 2026 elections have exposed serious weaknesses at the EC,’ he added.
In Kawempe Division, particularly at Makerere University’s Complex and Mitchell Hall, turnout appeared slightly better than during the presidential polls. ‘The turnout today is better than last week,’ Ms Samalie Isabella Kisakye, the presiding officer at Mitchell Hall, said. ‘People relate more with leaders they interact with daily,’ she added. Mr Martins Kato, a councillor candidate, credited grassroots mobilisation. ‘We called voters, sent messages, and physically visited them. That effort has helped,’ he said.
However, he accused rival parties of attempting to manipulate the process through bribery and intimidation. Presiding officers acknowledged that while the machines worked, they slowed the process. ‘With registers, it is faster. With machines, there are many steps,’ Ms Kisakye said. In Kampala Central Division, polling officially began at 8am across most stations, but voter turnout remained consistently low throughout the day, mirroring the apathy witnessed in other parts of the city.
Polling assistants and agents at several stations described a slow and uneven flow of voters, with long stretches passing without a single person turning up to vote. At Nakasero II Polling Station (A to L), Mr Emmanuel Kiiza, a polling assistant, said voting commenced on time but was characterised by irregular voter attendance. ‘Voting started at exactly 8am, but voter turnout has not been stable,’ Mr Kiiza said. ‘Voters are showing up at regular intervals, but the numbers are still low.’
Despite the apathy, Mr Kiiza expressed relief that the biometric machines were functioning better than during the presidential and parliamentary elections. ‘This time the voter verification machines have finally worked,’ he said. ‘We are optimistic that the turnout will be better than that of the previous elections.’ At Crested Towers Polling Station, voting proceeded calmly under tight security, with only a handful of voters appearing every 15 to 20 minutes. Polling officials relied on both biometric machines and manual registers for verification, particularly for voters whose fingerprints could not be detected.
In Nakawa Division, polling was slow, with some stations failing to meet the required minimum number of voters before voting could commence. Both incumbent Mayor Paul Mugambe and challenger Ali Bukeni, alias Nubian Li, cast their votes and outlined their agendas. Despite logistical challenges, voting remained largely peaceful.
Mukono District
Municipality-level elections in Mukono were marked by unusually low voter turnout, with several polling stations largely deserted throughout the day, raising serious concerns about voter mobilisation, civic education, and the EC preparedness. A visit to multiple polling stations across Mukono Municipality, including Mulago-Ggulu Ward, Maternity Ward, St Paul’s Catholic Parish, St Mary’s Noah Primary School, St Dunstan, and Butebbe Village, revealed a striking absence of voters, despite the timely delivery of electoral materials and the presence of polling officials.
Mr Moses Kizito, a voter, said some people did not turn up to vote because the EC announced two candidates for the position of LCV chairperson. ”Ten of my family members are not coming to vote because NRM members stormed the tally centre and rigged the election. The people we vote for are left behind and not given declaration forms, so what is the reason for voting?” he said. At some stations, residents who passed by appeared confused, with several expressing surprise upon learning that local government elections were taking place. Others said they had not received any official communication regarding the polls.
Sarah Ndagire, the presiding officer at Mulago-Ggulu Ward Polling Station, said the materials arrived a bit early, but no voters showed up despite candidates’ agents reporting to the station early. “The few voters who have turned out to vote are also asking us why we are using biometric machines this time round, actually, some had refused to vote, and we had to convince them,” she said. Mr Moses Nyombi Salongo, the chairman of Wantoni Cell in Mukono Municipality, said his area has approximately 1,800 registered voters. Despite this, a few people are turning out to vote.
He said some polling stations could even take 30 minutes without receiving a voter. Residents and local leaders also blamed the low turnout on poor public sensitisation, accusing authorities of failing to adequately inform voters about the elections. Some questioned whether sufficient civic education had been conducted to explain the role and importance of district-level leadership.
Wakiso District
In Wakiso’s Nansana Municipality, polling materials arrived on time, but turnout remained extremely low. Several polling stations failed to start voting early due to the absence of the legally required minimum of 10 voters. By 9am, voting had begun at only one of the three polling stations at Nabweru Playground Polling Centre in Nansana Municipality. At Benzima, two polling stations had not attained the required number of 10 people needed to start voting. The situation was similar at St Stephens Church of Uganda, Nansana, with three of the seven polling stations having failed to start voting by 11.30am.
Mr Steven Buule, an Independent councillor candidate for Nabweru North Ward, blamed the low turnout on ‘frustrations’ in the previous presidential and parliamentary elections. Mr Buule decried the use of biometric machines, claiming this also fuels the low voter turnout. “What logic is there in abruptly using biometrics machines that weren’t used in the previous elections? It’s intended to frustrate voters because the machines take too much time, and probably this is imposed to favour NRM candidates,” he said. The use of biometric voter identification machines caused slight delays, with each voter taking between four and six minutes to be processed.
A trainer was present at each polling station to assist officials with any challenges in operating the machines. Shortly after casting his vote at St Stephen’s Church of Uganda Polling Station, Mr John Bosco Sserunkuma, the NUP mayoral candidate for Nansana Municipality, criticised security personnel for allegedly sidelining the agents of the candidates. “We have seen a number of irregularities, including the RDC commanding a team of security personnel moving from polling station to polling station chasing away our polling agents. We don’t understand what his mission is.
Under the law, our agents are supposed to monitor the whole process, including making sure whoever comes to vote is eligible, but he has denied them that by ordering them to sit a distance away from the polling verification desk,” he said.
Biometric failure
The widespread failure of Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs) during the January 15 presidential and parliamentary elections was likely a result of Internet shutdown, according to highly-placed sources. The Electoral Commission (EC), a legal entity mandated to organise elections and referenda in the country, however, said the glitches had nothing to do with lack of Internet. EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi acknowledged that Internet connectivity was required for verification of voters’ particulars, but said other aspects of the devices could function while offline. “It was not expected that they would be working using the Internet.
The process of [the functioning of the BVVKs], save for the biometric verification, are all offline,” he noted. “So, the malfunctioning of the machines is not linked to the absence or presence of the Internet,” he added. In a demonstration to journalists last month, the EC showed that authentication of a voter’s particulars included an operator using BVVK to scan QR codes on a Voter Location Slip or National Identity Card to automatically pull up the profile of a duly registered individual from the National Voters’ Regigister.
Compiled by Damali Mukhaye, Isaac Ssejjombwe, Shabibah Nakirigya, Promise Twinamukye, Sylvia Katushabe, Sylvia Namagembe, Prossy Kisakye, Daphine Nakabiri, Juliet Kigongo, Michael Kakumirizi, Jessica Sabano, Barbra Anyait, Vincent Lusambya, Tony Abet, Jane Nafula, Moses Ndaye, David Walugembe, Micheal Sebalu, Abdul Nasser Stephen Otage and Karim Muyobo.