The Electoral Commission (EC) has defended its directive requiring voters to cast their ballots and immediately leave polling stations during the January 15 general elections, saying the move is intended to curb voter indiscipline and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
Speaking after a meeting with the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said that although the law permits citizens to remain at least 20 metres away from polling stations, past election experiences have shown that voters lingering near polling areas often pose a risk to peaceful voting.
“The stay of voters, despite the permission of the law, is likely to cause risk to the sanctity of the election,” Byabakama said, noting that in previous elections, results from some polling stations were invalidated after election materials were destroyed by people who had remained behind after voting.
He emphasised that the issue is not a legal one, but rather a behavioural challenge.
“The problem is not the law; it is the people who are indisciplined. Some people cannot keep calm and simply observe. They may end up fighting each other at polling stations, leading to the destruction of election materials, as has happened before,” Byabakama said.
The clarification comes amid growing debate sparked by opposition leaders, including National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, who have urged voters to remain near polling stations after voting to guard against electoral malpractice.
Speaking on New Year’s Day, Kyagulanyi encouraged voters to turn up early and stay within the legally allowed 20-metre radius after casting their ballots, describing the practice as a form of “vote protection.”
Justice Byabakama dismissed the call as unnecessary, insisting that the law already provides adequate safeguards through officially accredited candidate agents.
“The votes are protected by the candidates’ agents provided for in the law. These agents are allowed close to the polling stations and can observe the entire process, unlike ordinary voters standing within the 20 metres,” he said.
With less than two weeks to the polls, questions remain over how security agencies will enforce the directive, especially in areas with a history of tense elections. The EC has maintained that orderly conduct at polling stations is critical to ensuring credible, peaceful, and undisputed election outcomes.
