Over 13,000 Individuals to Be Recruited Ahead of 2026 General Elections

Under preparation for the much awaited general elections of 2026, the Uganda Electoral Commission has announces a major recruitment drive with the goal of bringing in more than 13,000 people to assist with the electoral process. 

The job announcement made last Wednesday aims to hire 2,300 sub-county election officers and 10,717 additional personnel to manage the election process nationwide.
The general election is scheduled for January 12–February 9, 2026. According to EC spokesperson Mr. Julius Mucunguzi, the anticipated hiring is intended to increase the Commission's workforce as they begin to carry out significant tasks associated with the 2025–2026 electoral road map.
 “The major activities on the electoral road map are done at the lowest level and yet the Commission does not have the manpower to reach there and that’s why we are doing these temporary recruitments to support us in most of these exercises,” he said.
The Commission, he said, would in January next year kick off the major activities on the road map, including updating the national voter’s register, followed by its display, which all require enough manpower nationwide.

EC, the government organization in charge of holding public elections and referenda, requested that qualified applicants for the 13,017 available positions apply by November 4 to the District Election Administrators (DEA) in their respective locations.

The candidates must among others be qualified with proven integrity and initiative, results-oriented, able to work in teams under minimum supervision, and have excellent client care.
"A brief list of applicants to be interviewed will be posted at the DEA office in your district. You will receive notification from the DEA office and local radio stations regarding the date of the interview sessions. Part of the advertisement said, "Successful candidates will be notified through the same office and will be issued appointment letters."
Candidates that are successful will receive payment via e-cash. As a result, candidates need to have a phone number that is linked to their names on mobile money. All eligible individuals are urged to apply since the Electoral Commission is an Equal Opportunity employer, it continued. 

The Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent, high moral character, demonstrated integrity, residency in the Sub-county for at least three years, voter registration, significant election process knowledge, a clean record, and experience managing public affairs are requirements for candidates seeking one of the 2,300 available slots for the Sub-county Election Officer position.

The sub-county election officers are responsible for 13 tasks, which include managing all electoral operations, educating voters, providing voter location slips, maintaining the voter registration, helping to mobilize voters to participate in elections, managing nominations, campaigns, and polling day activities, and reporting election-related activities to the returning officer. 

In addition, he or she will be in charge of the election commission's equipment and supplies within their sphere of influence, take part in hiring, training, registration, display, and poll day officials, make sure election supplies arrive at polling places on time, publicize election-related events, offer data and information on voter registration, voting, and elections, and perform any other official tasks that may be delegated periodically.

The electoral roadmap released in August last year outlines a comprehensive schedule for the 2025 elections, including the update of voters' registers from January 3 to 24, 2025, the nomination of candidates for various levels of government from July 14 to December 12, 2025, and key milestones such as constituency demarcation, the compilation of specialized voter registers, and the polling period set for January to February 2026.