The Recent Concluded Presidential and Parliamentary elections increased the Uganda’s Inflation to a time of 3.2% and also made some prices of goods and services shoot up, Spyreports has learnt.
This information which left some economists shaking their heads for what next was released by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) during Consumer Price Index and inflation for January 2026. According to UBOS report, inflation for the month of January which we held elections increased higher than the year ending 2025.
“Inflation for 2025 was at 3.1% but only January inflation was at 3.2% ,” reads the report. The report further indicates that there was high inflation on insurance and financial services in the month of January. “Inflation on Insurance and Financial services in the month of January increased to 9.1% from 0.0% recorded in December 2025,” Reads part of the report.
Inflation statistics further revealed that the cist transport ,Housing, Water, electricity,Gas among others also increased during election Month compared to the year 2025. “Inflation on Transport and Utilities increased by 0.4 and 0.3% respectively only in January,” Says report.
The high cost of Transport during January elections was in Kampala and Masaka.
The report also highlighted that people who ate in Restaurant and slept in lodges during elections also paid highly as inflation increased by 0.4% and 0.5% respectively. House hold materials like food, sugar, soap and clothing during elections also increased as indicated in the inflation report of January 2026 compared to December 2025.
However the report indicates inflation reduction on sports and culture by 0.4%, social protection and miscellaneous goods by 0.1% during elections. Also Monthly health and education services registered decrease in inflation. As Government shut down Internet, information and communication inflation also declined.
The cost of energy fuel and Utilities also went down during January compared to 2025. The report says the low costs was attributed to higher prices of firewood that was increased by 6.9% in January compared to 4.9% in 2025. The UBOS report further shows a decrease in inflation on food crops and other related items. “Inflation on food crops in January 2026 reduced from 4.4% to 3.0% which was attributed to the lower prices of Matooke.
Inflation on tomatoes, Sweet potatoes among others also reduced from 12.5% in 2025 to 4.3% in January,” states the report. It is also indicated in the report that the cost of building materials in January also increased compared to December 2025. However Irene Musitwa from UBOS Assures the Nation that economy is still stable despite increase in inflation. “Our Economy is still stable because our inflation percentage is still down. Any Country with inflation below 5% is stable,” She says.
