Uganda elections: Ex-Nigeria President Goodluck to lead observer mission
By Kiprono Keileb, January 11, 2026Regional bodies have deployed an election observation mission to Uganda ahead of the country’s General Elections scheduled for January 15, 2026. The mission brings together three major regional organisations and arrives at a time when attention is focused on how the polls will be conducted across the country.
The observers are expected to follow the entire election process, from the opening of polling stations to the final counting of votes, as Uganda prepares for a key national exercise.
Among the regional bodies that have sent the representatives to Uganda includes; The African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announce the arrival in Uganda of the election observation mission (AU-COMESA-IGAD EOM)
In a statement shared on X on Sunday, January 11, 2026, IGAD said the mission had officially arrived in Uganda following a formal invitation from national authorities.
“The African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announce the arrival in Uganda of the election observation mission (AU-COMESA-IGAD EOM) to the 15 January 2026 General Elections in the Republic of Uganda. This Mission is at the invitation of the Government of Uganda and the Electoral Commission of Uganda,” the statement reads.
The regional bloc said the observation team is being led by a former African head of state, supported by senior figures drawn from across the region.
“The AU-COMESA-IGAD EOM is led by Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Republic of Nigeria and assisted by Shemsudin Ahmed Roble, a member of the COMESA Committee of Elders and Commander Abebe Muluneh Beyene from IGAD. The Mission comprises 84 short-term observers (STOs) drawn from ambassadors accredited to the AU, officials of election management bodies, members of civil society organisations, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, and representatives of youth organisations,” the statement reads.
The mission brings together observers from a wide range of African countries, reflecting a regional approach to election monitoring.
“The observers are drawn from Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe,” IGAD said.
According to the statement, the team will not be confined to one part of the country but will spread out to follow voting activities nationwide.
“The observers will be deployed across all regions of Uganda where they will observe the election day procedures, including the opening of polls, voting, closing and the counting processes at the polling stations,” the statement reads.
The mission said its work will be guided by existing regional and international rules that govern democratic elections.
“The AU-COMESA-IGAD EOM will base its assessment on the legal framework governing elections in Uganda and the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, the standards and obligations stipulated in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), and the International Declaration of Principles (DoP) for International Election Observation, among others.”
The observers are also expected to engage with different players involved in the electoral process.
“The Mission shall interact with state authorities, including the Electoral Commission of Uganda, political parties, the media, civil society organisations and representatives of the international community based in Uganda and other election observation missions,” the statement reads.