The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) has released its first monitoring reports on media coverage of Uganda’s 2026 general election, covering the period July to October 2025. The four summary reports examine television, radio, newspapers and digital platforms.

The reports cover a period of significant electoral activity, encompassing political party primary elections, contested nominations in multiple constituencies, the fallout from results declarations, and the gradual shift in media focus from parliamentary to presidential coverage as the cycle matured. Across all four media categories, the reports find high volumes of election coverage but persistent gaps in depth, diversity, and thematic balance.

Key findings across the four reports include:

  1. Dominant candidate concentration. President Museveni received a disproportionately large share of coverage across all four media categories, accounting for an average of 61% of front-page coverage in print and securing the highest volume and most favourable tone on television. Coverage of newcomer aspirants was particularly limited on TV, effectively restricting their access to the electorate. Coverage of other candidates, smaller parties, and local elections was minimal across all media types.
  2. Thematic imbalance. Whilst politics and power dynamics are central to any election, coverage across all platforms gave limited attention to how electoral developments intersect with broader public affairs such as policy, service delivery, and livelihoods.
  3. Depth of reporting. The vast majority of election coverage across television, radio, and digital platforms was event-driven, with limited analysis or contextual interpretation. Coverage largely relied on prepared statements from press conferences and rallies, reducing its utility for informed civic participation. Radio, as the primary channel through which most Ugandans access electoral information, is of particular concern in this regard.
  4. Single-sourced stories. Reliance on single sources was a concern across all four media categories, most notably in digital coverage where it accounted for approximately half of all election stories reviewed.
  5. Limited gender representation. Male voices accounted for 82% of sources cited in digital coverage. This pattern was reflected, to varying degrees, across print, radio, and television reporting.

The patterns identified across the four reports reflect not only editorial choices but longer-standing structural conditions in Uganda’s media landscape. Factors such as media ownership, power dynamics, and access to electoral financing have historically shaped the distribution of coverage across candidates, particularly on broadcast platforms. It is worth noting that digital and social media have opened additional channels through which candidates can communicate directly with the public, partly offsetting limited access to traditional media. The reports flag these dynamics as a priority area for continued monitoring as the campaign develops.

These reports are part of a sustained monitoring programme that ACME has maintained since 2009, building an evidence base on media performance across successive electoral cycles, including the 2016 and 2021 general elections. Each round of monitoring adds to this record, making it possible to assess not just what the media is doing now, but whether standards and practices are shifting over time. Monitoring will continue throughout the 2026 electoral cycle, with future reports tracking coverage equity, source diversity, gender representation, thematic balance, depth of reporting, and the prevalence of misinformation across all four media categories.

Download the reports using the links below.