By BM
With Uganda’s presidential nomination exercise set for September 23 and 24, the Electoral Commission (EC) is sounding a stern warning to unqualified aspirants: do not waste your time.
Recently, the Commission revised the official nomination guidelines based from key provisions under the Presidential Elections Act, offering a clear roadmap for what is expected of anyone seeking to appear on the 2026 presidential ballot.
A total of 183 presidential aspirants picked nomination forms last month, though several were turned away after failing to present original academic qualifications, a mandatory requirement under the law.
The Commission has since reiterated that no shortcuts or improvisations will be entertained.
“Those without the basic legal requirements should desist from stepping before the Commission. They will be turned away immediately,” warned Julius Mucunguzi, the EC spokesperson, “The law is clear, and we will implement it to the letter.”
Under the nomination guidelines, a presidential candidate must be a Ugandan citizen aged 18 or older, and must possess at least an Advanced Level (A’ Level) certificate or its equivalent.
Individuals with academic qualifications obtained outside Uganda must verify them through the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), in consultation with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB).
Importantly, affidavits or statutory declarations will not be accepted as proof of academic achievement.
The Commission has emphasized that only officially certified academic documents will be considered valid.
Candidates currently holding public office, whether in a government department, agency, local government, or a state-run enterprise are required to resign from their posts before nomination day.
Proof of resignation must be submitted with the nomination forms.
Each aspiring candidate must also submit a nomination paper signed by them and backed by at least 100 registered voters from no less than two-thirds of Uganda’s districts, approximately 98 districts.
Supporters must include their names, signatures, physical addresses, and voter registration numbers.
The nomination process also includes a non-refundable fee of UGX 20 million, paid through the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Candidates must present the URA receipt to the Commission on or before nomination day.
Additional requirements include three recent passport-size color photographs taken against a light background, a declaration of compliance, and a proposed campaign programme to assist the EC in scheduling and harmonizing campaign activities across the country.
Candidates running under the banner of a political party must have their nomination forms endorsed and sealed by the party’s Secretary General or an authorized official.
Independent candidates, meanwhile, must select an election symbol from a pre-approved list including items such as a pot, candle, kettle, radio, or car allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
No candidate will be allowed to use a symbol with religious, tribal, or sectarian connotations.
On nomination day, each candidate is allowed a convoy of only two vehicles, with no more than ten occupants per vehicle.
These vehicles must display official police stickers.
However, an incumbent president seeking re-election is permitted to retain the standard presidential convoy.
Once nominations close, the Commission will open up the nomination papers for public inspection, allowing registered voters to raise objections or lodge complaints regarding a candidate’s eligibility.
Nominations may be rejected for reasons such as insufficient support signatures, lack of proper documentation, unpaid fees, or if the candidate is also nominated for Parliament.
The Electoral Commission is expected to issue the full guidelines in the coming days, but the message is already clear: only serious, legally compliant candidates will be considered.
“The nomination process is not just a formality; it is a constitutional gateway to the presidency,” Mucunguzi emphasized. “We urge all prospective candidates to prepare thoroughly and present themselves only if they meet the law’s full requirements.”
With the nomination window fast approaching, the stage is set for a defining moment in Uganda’s political calendar.
As voters, parties, and hopefuls gear up for the contest ahead, all eyes will be on the Electoral Commission headquarters later this month where the official race to State House will formally begin.
