Uganda Elections 2016 – A Situation Analysis by Civil Rights Defenders

Uganda will hold its fifth presidential and parliamentary elections on 18 February, 2016. Around half of Uganda’s population, 15 million in total are registered to cast their votes, according to the Electoral Commission.

The atmosphere is a mixture of fear of election-related violence coupled with the fear that civil and political rights will be further eroded. Reports of irregularities and election-related violence continue to surface. This has prompted local and international stakeholders to call for immediate reconciliatory measures to ease the situation.

“The upcoming Ugandan elections will provide a litmus test on how the political elite conduct themselves in front of their electorate . The run up to the elections have seen a number of violent incidents, repressions against human rights groups and the harassment of journalists and free media outlets. Civil Rights Defenders calls on the Ugandan presidential and parliamentary parties to enact free and fair elections with full respect for the democratic process” said Mesfin Negash, Programme Director for East & Horn of Africa

Civil Rights Defenders ‘A Situation Analysis 2016’ is aimed at giving a brief background and context to Uganda’s fifth presidential and parliamentary elections. It explores the concerns and existing conditions influencing the electoral process leading up to February 18, 2016 and beyond. Given the fast changing developments surrounding the elections, some of the information included here might have changed at publication. The East and Horn of Africa Programme at Civil Rights Defenders compiled the analysis.  

You can read the full report by clicking here.