Mpuuga’s Electoral Reforms’ Push Before 2026 Polls Wins Church Backing

The efforts to push for constitutional and electoral reforms in Uganda ahead of the 2026 elections by the Democratic Alliance (DA) national coordinator, Mathias Mpuuga, have received a boost from church leaders, who have added their voice to the call for the urgent amendments.

On April 7, 2025, the Kiyinda-Mityana Bishop and Chairman of the Episcopal Conference, Rt. Rev. Joseph Anthony Zziwa, revealed the church’s support for electoral reforms while releasing the latest periodic pastoral letter.

Bishop Zziwa emphasized the need for reforms to restore public trust in the electoral process, citing the 2016 Supreme Court recommendations that have yet to be implemented.

The Uganda Episcopal Conference thus urged the government to urgently implement these recommendations to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.

The clergy warned against a repeat of the irregularities witnessed in the 2021 general polls, which were marred by widespread reports of vote rigging, abductions, ballot stuffing, and obstruction of opposition candidates.

Since 2023, the ex-LoP Mpuuga has been consistently pushing for reforms, asserting that it is the only sure way to make elections transparent, free, and fair for all political players.

However, not everyone is on board with the proposed reforms as National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine of the leading opposition party has consistently rejected the proposals, stating that he is content with the existing legal framework.

The one-time presidential candidate who has already prematurely announced his intention to stand again in 2026 has boldly said that anyone pushing for the constitutional and electoral reforms is working for the ruling NRM government.

Despite this opposition, the church remains committed to the cause. Bishop Zziwa urged the government to fully enforce the Supreme Court’s directive barring the trial of civilians in military courts and called for the release of all political prisoners.

Mpuuga’s Proposed Constitutional and Electoral Reforms

1. Amendment of the law to allow Ugandans in the diaspora and prisoners’ rights to vote
2. Reducing the size of parliament from the current 529 MPs to 295 MPs
3. Restoration and entrenchment of presidential term limits
4. Presidential candidates to have a running mate who shall be the deputy president
5. Introduce a second tier of Parliament with 39 MPs from the original 39 districts of Uganda. The deputy president shall be its head
6. Changing the mode of the constitution of the Electoral Commission
7. Rethinking the Decentralization model of running local government
8. Changing the mode of declaration of presidential elections from the centralized system to the district level
9. Amendment from the first-past-the-post to a proportional representation system to balance up Parliament

10. Allow ordinary voters to challenge in court, the presidential election results