The journey to Uganda’s 2026 general elections has officially begun, with 51 individuals stepping forward on the very first day to pick up nomination forms for the country’s highest office.
This is the highest number of presidential aspirants ever recorded, and the figure is expected to rise beyond 51 as several well-known contenders are yet to appear.
According to Paul Bukenya, the Deputy Communications Manager at the Electoral Commission (EC), the group includes six women and 46 men, with a notable majority being youth.
He said this level of participation “gives hope to the country that young people are interested in leadership and management of the country’s democracy.”
The EC opened the nomination process today, August 11, giving presidential hopefuls until August 24 to collect all necessary documentation, including supporter forms, official nomination forms, and detailed nomination guidelines.
EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi outlined the legal requirements, stating:
“The supporter forms will enable aspirants to collect signatures from at least 100 registered voters in at least two-thirds of Uganda’s districts equivalent to 98 districts as required by electoral law. These supporters must be registered voters in the districts where they endorse a candidate.”
The nomination forms will be used to capture each candidate’s particulars, while the guidelines explain the requirements for a valid nomination.
Beyond the presidency, the EC has also made nomination documents available for other elective positions. Aspirants for parliamentary seats, including special interest group positions, can now download their forms from the EC website. District and city chairperson hopefuls will also access their documents online, while local government councillor candidates will pick theirs from EC district offices.
Mucunguzi urged all aspiring candidates to study the nomination guidelines carefully to avoid disqualification. He further announced a change in the electoral calendar:
“Parliamentary nominations, initially slated for September, have been rescheduled to October 15 and 16, while the rest of the nomination dates remain unchanged.”
