By Ben Musanje
In a surprising turn of events, a much-anticipated press conference aimed at promoting peaceful and fair elections in Uganda took an unexpected twist as several key officials failed to attend, leaving their representatives to carry the message.
The event organized by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), held at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on December 4, 2025, was intended to feature high-level speakers, including Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Nyombi Tembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abbas Byakagaba, and Joshua Kitaakule, Secretary General of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU).
However, in an awkward development, none of the scheduled speakers showed up except the organizer Mariam Wangadya, UHRC Chairperson.
The absence of these critical figures cast a shadow over the press conference, raising questions about the level of commitment from the country’s leadership toward a peaceful electoral process.
Instead of Byabakama, Julius Mucunguzi, the EC Spokesperson, stepped in late to deliver an apology on behalf of the Electoral Commission. He explained that Byabakama, along with other EC members, was preoccupied with essential election tasks, including the printing of ballot papers, which could not proceed until all petitions were resolved.
“The rest of the members of the Commission are out doing the work that they have to do,” Mucunguzi said, attempting to reassure the public about the Commission’s ongoing efforts.
He conveyed Byabakama’s gratitude toward the Uganda Human Rights Commission for organizing the press briefing, emphasizing that the message of the EC remained clear: achieving a free, fair, and credible election is a collective responsibility that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders involved in the process.
Mucunguzi stressed that Uganda’s electoral process could only be successful if all involved from candidates and their supporters to the media and civil society played their roles in adherence to the law.
He called for a peaceful and transparent electoral process, urging every actor to treat the election not as a “do-or-die” contest but as a civic duty that should leave Uganda united, regardless of the outcome.
“The Commission has been consistent in its message that to achieve free and fair elections, every stakeholder must act according to the law,” Mucunguzi added. “If we all work together with a shared goal of a peaceful Uganda, we can ensure that the election is a civil process and that every registered voter’s choice is respected.”
The Absence of Key Figures Raises Concerns
Despite Mucunguzi’s reassurance, the absence of several top officials was a noticeable gap, leaving the press conference without the kind of high-level engagement that many had hoped for.
While Mucunguzi and other representatives spoke about the importance of peace and unity, the missing figures underscored the broader concern about the level of commitment to the process.
The press conference was intended as a public show of unity between key stakeholders, but with those figures absent, the event felt incomplete.
In addition to Mucunguzi, other representatives filled in for absent officials. Dr. Abudu Sallam Waiswa, Head of Litigation Prosecution and Legal Advisory at the UCC, stood in for Nyombi Tembo. Commissioner of Police (CP) Diana Kyansimire, Acting Director of Human Rights and Legal Services at the Uganda Police Force, represented IGP Abbas Byakagaba.
However, it was the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) that perhaps generated the most attention during the event.
Sheikh Ali Waiswa, Deputy Grand Mufti and a Board Member of IRCU, spoke on behalf of the IRCU, but notably, he clarified that he was not speaking as a representative of the Council. Rather, Waiswa explained that his presence was to represent his superior, His Eminence the Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje.
“I came here today to represent His Eminence the Mufti,” Waiswa said. “Though I am an Executive Board member of the Inter-Religious Council, I was not mandated to speak on their behalf today.”
His clarification set the tone for his speech, in which he emphasized the IRCU’s role as a religious organization tasked with guiding the nation through challenging times.
Waiswa shared that the IRCU had recently issued a press release on November 24, 2025, addressing critical issues related to the elections. While acknowledging the ongoing challenges, he reiterated the religious community’s commitment to promoting peace.
Waiswa highlighted the IRCU’s past successes, such as organizing presidential candidate debates in previous elections, which were hailed as a landmark event for African electoral processes.
Despite the absence of such debates in the current election cycle, Waiswa affirmed that the IRCU would continue to engage religious leaders and communities through pastoral letters to promote peace, unity, and adherence to the rule of law.
“We are ready to spearhead a peaceful process if supported by all organs in the country,” Waiswa declared. “The role of religious leaders is to guide the masses, to avoid provocations, and to help them behave in a way that respects the rule of law.”
A Nation’s Call for Unity and Peace
Despite the disruptions, the overarching message from the press conference remained clear: Uganda’s electoral process must be peaceful, fair, and transparent, and achieving this requires the involvement of every stakeholder.
However, with key figures missing from the stage and critical preparations continuing behind the scenes, Uganda faces a rocky road to the polls in 2026. The hope is that leaders across the political, civil, and religious spectrum will come together, as planned, to ensure a peaceful election.
Uganda’s road to the 2026 elections is undoubtedly a challenging one, but the call for unity and peace remains at the heart of the nation’s electoral ambitions. As the elections draw closer, the country will be watching to see if its leaders can translate these noble messages into concrete action for a peaceful and credible election. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
