US aid cuts shrink Uganda’s civic space ahead of 2026 elections

Ronald Serunjoji, 18, works to load sand into trucks in Kavule, Wakiso District, Uganda. He is among many Ugandans expected to cast a ballot in the upcoming 2026 general elections without receiving voter education — a consequence of U.S. aid cuts. Photo by: Nakisanze Segawa

The termination of USAID governance programs has hollowed out civic education networks that once reached rural and first-time voters. The move threatens public trust and could “undermine the U.S.’s strategic interest in the region,” experts tell Devex.