Thousands of applicants turned up on Saturday, January 3, for recruitment interviews for polling assistants and presiding officers ahead of Uganda’s January 15 general elections.
The interviews were held at Soroti Secondary School in Soroti city.
The Electoral Commission in Soroti shortlisted 1,262 applicants for polling assistant positions and 347 for presiding officer roles. Of these, 648 candidates are expected to be selected as polling assistants, and 162 as presiding officers.
Luke Osele, the Assistant Returning Officer for Soroti City, said written interviews were conducted due to the overwhelming number of applicants and limited time ahead of the elections.
“We have been conducting interviews for polling officials but due to the big number of applicants we decided to conduct written interviews,” Mr Osele told Monitor.
He explained that with less than two weeks before polling day, oral interviews were not feasible. The commission prioritized scrutinizing applicants, selecting candidates, and providing training.
Mr Osele also noted that Soroti City has increased the number of polling stations from 147 in the last general election to 162 for 2026. Each station will have at least four polling assistants and one presiding officer.
He urged voters to turn out in large numbers to exercise their right to choose their preferred candidates.
“As of today, the Electoral Commission in Soroti City has not received any official resignation letters from any politicians,” Mr Osele added.
Applicants welcomed the process, describing it as fair. Gloria Anyait, applying for a polling assistant position, told Monitor that: “All of us want to work so the officials should consider recruiting applicants on merit.”
However, some expressed concerns about limited positions. Tom Nobert Odeke, a presiding officer candidate, said the scarcity of openings may disappoint some applicants.
Ugandans are set to vote on January 15, 2026, to elect the President and Members of Parliament across the country.