The Uganda Police Force has approved 2,385 applications for fireworks displays ahead of New Year 2026, authorising 10 licensed companies to conduct the displays on behalf of successful applicants across the country.
In a press release issued on December 31, 2025, Police said the approvals followed guidance issued on December 29 regulating the discharge of fireworks during New Year celebrations.
"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 said.
According to the release from Police Headquarters, Tomil Fireworks Ltd received the highest number of approved applications at 752. This was followed by Quality Lighting Uganda Ltd with 397 applications, Sky Flames Uganda Ltd with 285, Fireworks 7000 (U) Ltd with 276, and Extremes Fireworks Ltd with 236.
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Other authorised companies include Cosmic Displays with 187 approved applications, Goshen Africa Ltd with 97, Light Africa (U) Ltd with 71, Jwala Investments Co. Ltd with 54, and Fesco (U) Limited with 30.
Police emphasised that only the listed companies are permitted 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 Police said the measures are intended to ensure public safety, maintain order, and prevent injuries or property damage during celebrations ushering in the New Year.
Sydney welcomes 2026 with spectacular fireworks display
Countries across the Pacific, including Kiribati, Australia and New Zealand, were among the first to welcome 2026 with celebrations ranging from quiet beach moments to major fireworks displays, as the world ushered in the new year across multiple time zones.
An atoll in the Pacific nation of Kiribati was the first place on Earth to enter 2026. One tourist there described the moment as a rare and surreal experience, saying he marked the new year "on a beach with no satellites, no signs of human life, complete darkness and countless crabs."
Just minutes later, celebrations spread across the Pacific region, with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Guam all ushering in the new year as midnight swept westward.
In Australia, Sydney welcomed 2026 with a large-scale fireworks display over its harbour, drawing crowds and international attention.
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However, celebrations were subdued for some, with joy tempered by sadness following the deadly Bondi Beach attack earlier this month, according to a correspondent in the city.
New Zealand also joined the celebrations, with the country's remote Chatham Islands entering 2026 just 15 minutes after Kiritimati Island in Kiribati, highlighting the unique geography of the Pacific time zones.
The global nature of the celebrations was further illustrated by a British pharmacist who welcomed the new year in Samoa and later planned to cross the International Date Line to American Samoa, effectively "time-travelling" to celebrate the arrival of 2026 for a second time.
As midnight continues to move across continents, major cities in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas are set to welcome the new year in the coming hours, marking the shared global moment in different ways shaped by local culture, history and circumstance.
