AU, COMESA and IGAD Deploy Joint Election Observation Mission to Uganda

Addis Ababa, January 10, 2026 (ENA)—The African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have deployed a joint election observation mission to Uganda ahead of the country’s General Elections scheduled for 15 January 2026.

The mission has been deployed at the invitation of the Government of Uganda as well as   the Electoral Commission of Uganda.

 It is led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, and supported by Ambassador Shemsudin Ahmed Roble of COMESA and Commander Abebe Muluneh Beyene representing IGAD.

A total of 84 short-term observers drawn from 27 African countries have been deployed across all regions of Uganda, ENA learned.

The observers include ambassadors accredited to the African Union, election management officials, civil society representatives, election and human rights experts, as well as gender, media, and youth specialists.

The observers will monitor key election-day activities, including the opening of polling stations, voting, closing procedures, and vote counting processes.

According to the mission, the assessment of the elections will be guided by Uganda’s legal framework and relevant regional and international instruments, including the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and the International Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

The AU–COMESA–IGAD mission will also engage with state authorities, political parties, the media, civil society organizations, and members of the international community based in Uganda.