Why EC extended voting time to 5:00pm
Byabakama said that despite the technical challenges of the machines, the national voters’ register remains the primary instrument for voter identification under the Constitution.
Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi. (File)
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The Electoral Commission today, January 15, 2026, extended the voting time to 5:00pm from 4:00 pm.
The electoral body defended the decision, saying there were delays caused in the morning by faulty Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVK)/machines.
Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi confirmed the extension and said voters had been accorded an additional hour and that whoever was in the line at 5:00pm would vote.
“I can confirm the extension by an additional hour as a result of the hiccups experienced this morning,” Mucunguzi said.
Today, millions of Ugandans across the country were left frustrated after BVVKs failed to work, creating tension in different polling stations. Over 21.6 million Ugandans are expected to take part in the voting for the President and Members of Parliament.
Speaking to the media, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said the machines failed, and the voters' register should be used to avoid delays and disenfranchising Ugandans of their rights.
Byabakama said that despite the technical challenges of the machines, the national voters’ register remains the primary instrument for voter identification under the Constitution.
He added that the register, not the machines, is the most important safeguard in the voting process.