Uganda orders crackdown on citizens crossing into Kenya ahead of 2027 election

Uganda has ordered authorities along its border with Kenya to stop citizens from crossing into the neighbouring country for political or electoral activities amid allegations that some Ugandans are obtaining Kenyan identification documents and registering to vote ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga issued the directive as concerns grow over alleged cross-border interference and the movement of people and election-related materials between the two East African nations.

Kadaga instructed authorities in Bukwa, Moroto, Amudat, Namisindwa, Busia, Tororo, Namayingo and Buikwe to closely monitor movements across the border and prevent Ugandan citizens from becoming involved in political activities in Kenya.

Speaking during a media briefing on Uganda’s security situation on Wednesday, October 7, Kadaga said the government must ensure Ugandans living in border areas do not cross into Kenya for electoral purposes.

“We should ensure that Ugandan citizens within those boundaries are not crossing to Kenya or otherwise involving themselves in political or electoral activities,” Kadaga said.

The directive comes as Kenya prepares for its 2027 General Election, while Uganda is also approaching its own electoral cycle, increasing scrutiny of activity along the two countries’ shared border.

Uganda warns against interference in elections

Kadaga, who also serves as Uganda’s Minister of the East African Community, framed the directive around national sovereignty and the principle that each country should manage its own electoral affairs.

She said Uganda respected Kenya’s sovereignty and expected the Kenyan government to extend the same respect to Uganda’s political and democratic processes.

“As a country, we respect the sovereignty of Kenya, and we also expect them to respect our sovereignty and the democratic processes going on in each country,” she said.

Kadaga further said Ugandan government institutions should not become involved in another country’s electoral process.

Her comments came amid allegations that some Ugandan nationals may have obtained Kenyan identity documents and subsequently sought registration as voters.

The minister also raised the issue of citizenship and allegiance, arguing that individuals could not simultaneously exercise voting rights in both countries.

“You cannot vote both in Kenya and Uganda. So either you relinquish one and take another. You cannot be both. You cannot have allegiance to two countries,” Kadaga said.

KTN investigation sparks fresh scrutiny

The latest directive follows a KTN News investigation broadcast in late September, which alleged that some Ugandan nationals were obtaining Kenyan identification documents and registering as voters ahead of the 2027 election.

The investigation focused on the Suam border area, where claims emerged concerning the alleged movement of voter-registration materials across the Kenya-Uganda frontier.

The report also alleged that a Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer intercepted a vehicle carrying election-related materials on April 18 and was subsequently transferred to Nairobi.

However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations rejected those claims, saying its officers did not intercept the vehicle, question its occupants or seize election materials.

The DCI also denied that one of its officers had been transferred to Nairobi because of the alleged incident.

The competing claims have added another layer of tension to an already sensitive political environment ahead of Kenya’s 2027 elections.

IEBC rejects claims of foreign voter registration

Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has also rejected allegations concerning the illegal registration or transfer of voters involving foreign nationals.

The electoral commission dismissed claims that foreign citizens had been registered as Kenyan voters and rejected allegations that information belonging to deceased voters was being used in preparations for the 2027 election.

The denials from both the IEBC and Kenya’s DCI are significant because the allegations at the centre of the dispute have not been established by the Kenyan authorities as fact.

Uganda’s intervention nevertheless signals the seriousness with which Kampala is treating alleged cross-border political activity.

Border districts placed under closer watch

Kadaga’s order places renewed attention on the Kenya-Uganda border, where communities have longstanding social, economic and family links spanning both sides of the frontier.

Ugandan authorities have been directed to coordinate closely with local leaders and security agencies to monitor movements and prevent citizens from participating in electoral activities in Kenya.

The developments come as both East African neighbours move towards major electoral contests, putting increased pressure on authorities to distinguish legitimate cross-border movement from activities that could undermine either country’s electoral sovereignty.

For now, allegations surrounding Kenyan voter registration by Ugandan nationals remain disputed, with Kenyan authorities rejecting key claims raised by the media investigation.

Kadaga’s directive, however, makes clear that Kampala intends to take a more vigilant approach to political activity along its border with Kenya as the region moves closer to the 2027 elections.

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