The Electoral Commission has appointed Mr Richard Baabo Kamugisha as its new Secretary, effective March 4, 2026.
In a statement, the Commission said Kamugisha had been serving in the same position in an acting capacity since late 2024 after the former Secretary left the institution.
“The Electoral Commission has appointed Mr Richard Baabo Kamugisha as its new Secretary, effective 4th March 2026,”the Commission said in the statement.
As Secretary to the Commission, Kamugisha will serve as the Accounting Officer and head of the Commission’s technical and management wing, overseeing the day to day operations of the electoral body.
“As Secretary to the Commission, Mr Kamugisha is also the Accounting Officer and the Head of the Technical wing (Management) of the Commission,”the statement added.
Kamugisha is a long serving election management expert who has spent more than two decades working within the Commission. He joined the Electoral Commission in 1999 and steadily rose through its ranks.
“A very experienced and distinguished election management expert, Mr Kamugisha has served the Electoral Commission since 1999, rising through the ranks from District Registrar and District Returning Officer to Head of Field Operations Department and Director of Operations,”the Commission noted.
Before his confirmation, Kamugisha had been holding the office in an acting capacity following the exit of Mr Leonard Mulekwah, who had served as Secretary since 2020 but left the institution after being suspended to pave way for investigations into alleged financial irregularities within the Commission.
According to the Electoral Commission Act, the Secretary serves a fixed term.
“The Secretary shall hold office for a term of five years, renewable once,” the Commission stated.
The Secretary heads the Secretariat of the Electoral Commission and plays a critical role in coordinating election operations, policy implementation and administrative management of the institution. Kamugisha’s appointment therefore places him at the center of the Commission’s preparations for upcoming electoral activities in the country.
