KAMPALA, Uganda — The Uganda Police Force has approved 2,385 applications for fireworks displays ahead of the New Year 2026 celebrations, authorising 10 licensed companies to conduct displays on behalf of successful applicants across the country.
In a statement issued on December 31, 2025, police said the approvals followed strict guidelines released on December 29 regulating the discharge of fireworks during the festive period.
“Pursuant to the guidance issued by the Uganda Police on 29 December 2025 regarding the discharge of fireworks to usher in the year 2026, the following are the blasters authorized to conduct displays on behalf of the successful applicants,” the statement read.
According to the release from Police Headquarters, Tomil Fireworks Ltd received the highest number of approvals with 752 applications, followed by Quality Lighting Uganda Ltd (397), Sky Flames Uganda Ltd (285), Fireworks 7000 (U) Ltd (276), and Extremes Fireworks Ltd (236).
Other licensed operators include Cosmic Displays (187 approvals), Goshen Africa Ltd (97), Light Africa (U) Ltd (71), Jwala Investments Co. Ltd (54), and Fesco (U) Limited (30).
Police emphasised that only the listed companies are authorised to conduct fireworks displays during the New Year festivities, warning that any unauthorised discharge of fireworks will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The measures, police said, are intended to enhance public safety, maintain order, and prevent injuries and property damage during celebrations marking the arrival of 2026.
World rings in 2026
As Uganda finalised its preparations, countries across the Pacific region were among the first globally to welcome 2026, with celebrations ranging from quiet moments on remote islands to massive fireworks displays in major cities.
An atoll in Kiribati became the first place on Earth to enter the new year. One tourist described the moment as “surreal,” saying he marked the transition on a beach with “no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs.”
Within minutes, celebrations followed in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Guam, as midnight swept westward across the Pacific.
In Australia, Sydney ushered in 2026 with its iconic fireworks display over the harbour, drawing huge crowds and global attention. However, the celebrations were subdued for some residents following the deadly Bondi Beach attack earlier this month, according to correspondents in the city.
Also Read: New Year 2026: Uganda police set strict 5-minute limit for fireworks displays
New Zealand joined the festivities shortly after, with the remote Chatham Islands entering 2026 just 15 minutes after Kiribati’s Kiritimati Island, highlighting the region’s unique time-zone geography.
The global scale of the celebrations was further illustrated by a British pharmacist who welcomed the new year in Samoa, then planned to cross the International Date Line into American Samoa to experience the arrival of 2026 for a second time.
As midnight continues its journey across continents, major cities in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas are preparing to welcome the new year in ways shaped by local culture, history and circumstance — underscoring the shared global moment that binds the world at the start of 2026.
