Sourced from UCC Blog
Julius Caesar famously declared, “I came, I saw, I conquered.” On Thursday evening in Dubai, Uganda did just that. The Ugandan delegation came, they saw, and they conquered.
When the final votes were tallied, the Pearl of Africa had secured 129 votes, placing it third out of 15 African countries vying for election to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Council of Administration for the 2026–2029 cycle. Only 11 seats were available for Africa (Group 5), making Uganda’s triumph all the more remarkable.
This is Uganda’s strongest performance in an international ICT election campaign in recent history. The UPU, a specialized UN agency, oversees the global development of postal services. Its 43-member Council of Administration ensures the continuity of UPU’s work between Congresses, managing operations and shaping the future of the world’s postal systems.
The UPU Congress, held every four years, serves as the supreme decision-making body of the global postal network. Delegates deliberate on strategic direction and set rules governing the international postal ecosystem.
Uganda’s emphatic win signals strong regional and international confidence in its leadership as well as commitment to advancing digital transformation in the postal sector. With a seat on the Council, Uganda now has a strategic platform to: Shape international postal policies, drive innovation in service delivery, and champion the interests of developing countries.
Crucially, Uganda’s role means it will represent Africa in global decision-making fora, ensuring underserved communities gain from enhanced postal and government services in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at national, regional, and international levels.
But this victory did not come on a silver platter. It was the result of a well-coordinated and determined effort led by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, and supported by Hon. Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), and Ambassador Zaake Kibedi. The team also comprised UCC Board members, Eng. Paul Odoi, Ms Hawa Tuku and Stephen Kabugu, and directors Fred Otunnu, Susan Atengo Wegoye, Julianne Mweheire, Joyce Kasirye, and Alice Nyangoma.
Together with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Posta Uganda, Team Uganda tirelessly campaigned over the two weeks of the Congress, lobbying for support in the corridors of the Congress venue, in bilateral meetings and at the grand reception hosted by Uganda on Friday, September 12, 2025. The reception attracted an impressive turnout of dignitaries, including the Director General, Masahiko Metoki, and the Deputy Secretary General, Marjan Osvald. In all, Team Uganda held bilateral meetings with 126 delegations, making a compelling case for our candidature.
The vote outcome underscored the strength of Uganda’s campaign: Egypt led with 133 votes, Tanzania followed with 132, and Uganda secured a close third with 129. Other African countries elected were Morocco, Ghana, Seychelles, Madagascar, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Mali. Meanwhile, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, and Mauritania failed to make the cut — a reminder of how competitive and uncertain such elections can be.
This election adheres to Article 106.3 of the UPU General Regulations, which stipulates that at least half of the Council’s membership must be renewed at each Congress, with no country serving more than two consecutive terms. Uganda last held a Council of Administration seat in the 2016-2020 cycle, having been elected during the UPU Congress in Istanbul, Turkey. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
