Civil society organisations in Uganda have warned that the country’s democracy is increasingly at risk due to the deepening commercialisation of politics, calling for urgent reforms to regulate campaign financing before the 2026 general elections.
During a joint national dialogue convened by the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), Executive Director Marlon Agaba cautioned that the unchecked flow of money in politics is eroding public confidence and undermining the credibility of electoral processes.
“Uganda risks losing public trust unless a comprehensive Campaign Finance Law is enacted to curb the influence of money in elections,” Agaba said.
He appealed to Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, and the Electoral Commission to fast-track the legal framework before the elections, while encouraging citizens to reject vote-buying and demand accountability from political actors.
Agaba warned that without robust guidelines on political donations and expenditure, Uganda’s democracy could be “hijacked by dark money,” urging voters to prioritise leadership qualities over monetary inducements and use social media and community networks to expose election-related bribery.
At the same event, Executive Director of the Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), Henry Muguzi, described monetised politics as a growing national crisis.
He said the escalating cost of participating in elections fuels corruption, patronage, and widespread voter manipulation.
“We are now at a point where everyone appreciates there is a problem. But for real change to happen, citizens themselves must join the campaign to demand transparency in campaign financing,” Muguzi said, calling for reforms such as real-time disclosure of campaign donations, public audits of political party accounts, and stringent penalties for electoral bribery.
Echoing these concerns, Sylvia Atim of ActionAid International Uganda emphasised that campaign finance reform is both a domestic necessity and an international obligation under Articles 7 and 8 of the UN Convention Against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
“These reforms are fundamental for free, fair, and credible elections. Without them, Uganda risks turning electoral contests into financial transactions rather than platforms for ideas, policies, and leadership,” Atim said.
Civil society organisations have long advocated for a comprehensive campaign finance law, but the pressure has intensified as the 2026 elections approach and cases of vote-buying in party primaries become more blatant.
Recent internal party contests have exposed widespread cash handouts and allegations of party flagbearer positions being “sold to the highest bidder,” confirming fears of entrenched political corruption.
With the 12th Parliament now in session, CSOs say the window for meaningful reform is rapidly closing.
They urge lawmakers to prioritise campaign finance legislation and call on citizens to demand transparency from both political leaders and electoral institutions.
“The window for legal action is narrow. The responsibility falls equally on lawmakers, citizens, and watchdog organisations to ensure that democracy prevails over money,” Atim said.
