Opposition Leader Accuses Electoral Commission of Placing Polling Stations Inside Police Barracks
KAMPALA — With just days remaining until Uganda’s elections, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has raised a formal complaint alleging that the Electoral Commission (EC) has illegally positioned multiple polling stations inside a fenced police barracks.
In a letter dated January 9, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Ssenyonyi cited 18 specific polling stations in the Naguru-Ntinda Police Barracks, Nakawa West Constituency. According to the EC’s packing list, the stations are named sequentially (e.g., Shell Grounds A-AHA, Shell Grounds AHE-AK, etc.), but Ssenyonyi contends that a ground assessment confirms they are physically located inside the restricted barracks perimeter.
“The law prohibits the placing of polling stations within barracks,” Ssenyonyi stated in a social media post. “There are polling stations which on paper are outside… but the ground assessment shows they were actually positioned inside the fenced barracks, contrary to electoral laws.”
The opposition leader highlighted a particularly puzzling detail: EC documents indicate that these 18 stations inside the single barracks account for a total of 12,455 registered voters—a figure he finds dubious for a barracks primarily housing police officers and their families.
Ssenyonyi’s letter further alleges partisan conduct during the campaign period. He claims that only candidates from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party were permitted access to campaign within the barracks, while opposition candidates were denied entry and even threatened with arrest.
This, he argues, raises serious questions about access on polling day. “How shall our polling agents, or even some civilian voters who don’t reside in the barracks access such restricted premises?” the letter asks.
The complaint is grounded in specific legal provisions. Ssenyonyi referenced the case of Lukwago vs Electoral Commission (2010), where the court ruled that polling stations within barracks violate electoral laws. He also cited Section 57(3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, which mandates that voting areas for security forces must be outside barracks and that no exclusive polling stations for the army or security personnel shall be created.
“It is therefore not proper for UPDF or Police barracks to host any polling stations because of the restricted and controlled nature of these barracks,” Ssenyonyi concluded, urging the EC to relocate all 18 stations outside the barracks before polling day.
As of now, the Electoral Commission has not publicly responded to the allegations. The issue raises significant concerns about voter access, transparency, and the integrity of the electoral process in the affected constituency.
About The Author
