Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC) has announced significant changes to the 2026 general election timetable, revising nomination dates for presidential, parliamentary, Local Government, and Special Interest Group (SIG) positions.
Speaking at the EC headquarters in Kampala, Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama unveiled the new roadmap and urged political players to adjust accordingly.
“We urge all stakeholders to take note of the revised schedule and comply with the laid-out guidelines to ensure a smooth electoral process,” Byabakama said.
Local gov’t , SIG nominations now in phases
The nomination period for Local Government and SIG positions, previously set for a single block from September 3–12, 2025, will now run in three phases:
District/City Level (Chairpersons, Lord Mayor, Councillors): Wednesday, 3rd to Friday, 5th September 2025, at respective District/City Returning Officers’ offices.
Municipality/City Division (Chairpersons, Councillors): Monday, 8th to Wednesday, 10th September 2025, at district offices.
Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division (Chairpersons, Councillors): Thursday, 11th to Wednesday, 24th September 2025 (excluding weekends), at county headquarters.
Nomination forms and guidelines will be available from Monday, 11th August 2025, at district EC offices. District Chairpersons’ forms will also be downloadable from www.ec.or.ug.
Parliamentary , special interest groups
Parliamentary nominations will now take place on Wednesday, 15th and Thursday, 16th October 2025 — later than the original mid-September schedule. These will be handled by District/City Returning Officers, with forms available from August 11 both online and at EC offices.
President
Presidential aspirants will have from Monday, 11th August to Wednesday, 24th September 2025 to pick up nomination and supporter forms. Each aspirant must secure signatures from at least 100 registered voters in two-thirds of Uganda’s districts.
“During this window, presidential aspirants will collect nomination forms, supporter forms… and guidelines for nomination and related processes,” Byabakama stated.
Collection will be in person at the EC Head Office in Kampala, weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Political party candidates must present written authorization from their Secretary General, while independents must show proof of voter registration.
Byabakama said the in-person process ensures accurate records and alerts local authorities to aspirants’ nationwide movements during signature collection.
With the updated timetable now active, Uganda’s 2026 election season moves into a critical preparation stage, placing the burden on political actors to stay organized and compliant.
