The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) launched its five-year Strategic Plan IV to position Uganda as a regional business hub. Unveiled in Kampala, the plan aligns with Vision 2040, NDP IV, and regional development goals. It aims to expand access, strengthen the legal framework, and support innovation. URSB will enhance business registration, intellectual property protection, and credit facilitation, emphasizing digital solutions, accountability, and private-sector growth to boost competitiveness and attract investment.

Uganda’s Electoral Commission cleared eight candidates to contest the January 2026 presidential election, including President Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine. Museveni seeks a seventh term and has led the country since 1986, following constitutional amendments that removed age and term limits. Observers and opposition figures have expressed concerns over electoral fairness and the treatment of political opponents.

Minister of State for Trade General Wilson Mbadi called for stronger Uganda–UK cooperation to raise Uganda’s agricultural exports to $20 billion by 2040. Speaking at the UK-Uganda Agro-Industrialization Forum, he highlighted the need to improve farmer credit, SME funding, and access to agricultural inputs. Mbadi noted the UK’s technology and trade support, citing $28 million in exports to the UK in 2024, and encouraged investment in agro-industrial parks and value chains.

Police clashed with demonstrators at a rally in Kampala on Sept. 24, 2025, celebrating opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine’s, nomination for the 2026 presidential election. Hundreds of supporters gathered on the streets carrying portraits of Wine. Officers used batons to control the crowd as some attempted to break through a police cordon. About a dozen people were arrested during the clashes.

Uganda’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance launched the Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Strategy Handbook to guide foreign missions in promoting trade, investment, tourism, and development. Unveiled at the Ambassadors’ Conference in Gulu, the handbook aims to align diplomatic efforts with national priorities. Officials highlighted policy coordination, skills development, and private-sector engagement. The strategy supports Uganda’s focus on agro-industrialization, tourism, and manufacturing, while enabling monitoring of the impact of global diplomatic initiatives.

The Electoral Commission (EC) barred the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) from fielding a presidential candidate in the 2026 elections. EC cited internal constitutional breaches and binding court rulings, including a High Court decision limiting party president Jimmy Akena to two terms. The commission also rejected nominations from Denis Adim and other senior party figures. UPC said it will seek judicial review of the EC ruling.

After a two-year investigation, the COMESA Competition Commission required Uber to revise rider contracts in Uganda and Kenya. The company removed clauses allowing arbitrary fare changes, broad cancellations, and dispute resolution under Dutch law. The changes mean riders now have clearer fares, cancellations limited to safety or impossibility, and local legal remedies. The commission emphasized that Uber is responsible for its drivers’ services, reinforcing accountability and protecting both riders and drivers under local regulations.

Uganda Railways Corporation resumed cargo transport with Kenya after a seven-month suspension, aiming to boost regional trade and reduce freight costs. The service recently moved 40 containers from Mombasa to Namanve in three days. URC faces significant funding and infrastructure challenges, seeking $245 million for modernization. A government- and EU-backed project to rehabilitate the Tororo-Gulu line, expected by February, will improve cargo access to northern Uganda and neighboring countries.