Outgoing Kira Municipality Member of Parliament and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has strongly criticised the recently concluded general elections, describing them as the worst Uganda has ever experienced.
Speaking during NBS Frontline on Thursday, Ssemujju said the scale and nature of irregularities witnessed during the January 15, 2026 polls were deeply troubling and pointed to deliberate manipulation rather than administrative failure.
“What worries me is the scale at which these things are happening. One thing which should worry Ugandans is that many of the irregularities that took place during the elections were deliberate,” Ssemujju said.
He went on to accuse the Electoral Commission of having lost control of the electoral process, claiming that the elections were effectively run by President Museveni, his son, and the military.
Ssemujju argued that the EC Chairperson, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, was merely providing a façade of institutional oversight.
“In most instances, tallying is occurring outside the tally centre. Actually, I have evidence that some candidates are being asked for money in order to be declared,” he said, raising serious concerns about transparency and the credibility of declared results.
Ssemujju’s remarks come amid growing public and political debate over the conduct of the 2026 elections, which featured tightly contested races in several parts of the country.
A number of political actors and candidates have accused the Electoral Commission of electoral injustices, intimidation and unprofessional conduct.
In the aftermath of the polls, courts across the country have registered a surge in election petitions, with aggrieved candidates seeking vote recounts and, in some cases, the annulment of election results.
Legal analysts say the volume of petitions reflects widening mistrust in the electoral process.
The Electoral Commission has previously defended its management of the elections, insisting that the polls were conducted in accordance with the law and that aggrieved parties should seek redress through courts of law.
However, opposition figures such as Ssemujju argue that systemic weaknesses and political interference continue to undermine electoral integrity, warning that failure to address these concerns could further erode public confidence in Uganda’s democratic institutions.
