Stay at Least 20 Metres Away from Polling Stations After Voting, Attorney General Clarifies

AG Kiryowa Kiwanuka

The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, has clarified that voters are legally allowed to remain at least 20 metres away from a polling station after casting their ballots, amid growing public debate over post-voting conduct.

Kiwanuka’s clarification follows weeks of intense discussion sparked by statements from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which urged voters to vote and return home during the forthcoming general elections.

The debate began after the UPDF Deputy Spokesperson, Col Henry Obbo, advised Ugandans to leave polling stations immediately after voting, warning that lingering around polling areas could pose security risks or intimidate other voters.

“When you finish voting, please go home and wait for the announcement of results or the time of counting. That is when you could go back, instead of crowding polling stations and becoming a security threat,” Obbo said.

The UPDF’s position drew criticism from the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), which has called for a “protest vote,” encouraging supporters to turn up in large numbers, vote against the ruling NRM, and remain vigilant to protect the vote.

NUP argues that remaining near polling stations helps deter electoral malpractices such as ballot stuffing, which the party claims marred the 2021 elections.

As the debate intensified, the Electoral Commission (EC) also weighed in, agreeing with the UPDF that voters should leave polling stations after voting. EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said many polling stations are located in crowded or busy areas, making it impractical for voters to remain nearby.

Tensions rose further on Monday after the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, warned Ugandans against staying at polling stations after voting.

The matter was subsequently raised on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, where opposition legislators demanded legal clarification from the Attorney General.

In his response, Kiwanuka stated that the law is clear: voters must not remain within the polling station after voting, but may stay at a distance prescribed by law.

“I can say without fear of contradiction that after voting, you must not stay at the polling station. When you are 20 metres away, that is not a polling station. Twenty metres, one hundred metres—that is perfectly lawful—but not at the polling station,” Kiwanuka told Parliament.

However, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda questioned the military’s involvement in election-related messaging, arguing that it contravenes the law.

“The CDF has said after voting, don’t hang around polling stations. The law is clear—voters can stay at a distance described by law. What concerns us is why the military is speaking more about elections than the Electoral Commission,” Ssemujju said.

Responding to the concerns, the Attorney General insisted that the military has not taken over election management.

“The organization, management and supervision of elections in Uganda remain the sole mandate of the Electoral Commission,” Kiwanuka said.

The clarification is expected to guide both voters and security agencies as the country prepares for polling, amid heightened political tensions and scrutiny of electoral processes.