Uganda’s 2026 election campaign has been surprisingly calm—an eerie contrast to the bloody 2021 polls that left over 50 people dead. President Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader Bobi Wine are once again facing off, but this time without the usual chaos of arrests, tear gas, or violence. Analysts suggest the peace may be more engineered than organic, pointing to heightened surveillance and preemptive crackdowns on opposition activity. Yet, some see the calm as a sign of political maturity, while others view it as a calculated effort by the regime to preserve legitimacy and control optics. As January’s election nears, many wonder whether Uganda’s newfound calm signals real progress—or merely silence before another storm.
The African Report
