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As Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, a new wave of digital influence is taking shape, with young social media influencers capitalising on the growing role of digital platforms in the country’s political campaigns.
Minister of Gender, Hon. Betty Amongi, while speaking at the 3rd National Labour Convention and Expo in Kampala, shed light on how young people are making lots of money by supporting political aspirants through platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.
“Nowadays, our youth who are leaving universities are not going into agriculture. Many of them are on TikTok, X, and Facebook, making lots of money,” Amongi remarked.
She revealed that young people have established large WhatsApp groups with thousands of members, which they now monetise by circulating campaign messages for political aspirants.
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“I have heard that political aspirants are paying for their messages to be circulated in the groups. Some admins are charging Shs 100,000 a day, and if they have multiple groups, they can easily make Shs 1 million a day,” she explained.
A New Source of Income for Young Ugandans
The rise of these digital influencers is reshaping how political campaigns are run in Uganda.
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Instead of relying solely on traditional methods like rallies or print media, political aspirants are now tapping into the vast reach of social media influencers to mobilise voters and spread their messages.
According to Amongi, this is an area that the government needs to support more Uganda people to tap into.
Shifting Dynamics in Election Campaigns
“We need to realise the potential that these social media platforms offer to our unemployed youths. We must find ways to guide the population on how to tap into these vast opportunities.”
The Electoral Commission has already outlined a comprehensive roadmap for the 2026 elections, with key dates including the nomination of presidential candidates in October 2025 and national polling from January 12 to February 9, 2026.