The Electoral Commission has officially nominated eight candidates to contest in Uganda’s 2026 presidential elections, following a two-day nomination exercise held at its offices in Lweza.
“We have managed to nominate eight presidential candidates. The process has ended and these eight candidates will appear on the Ballot Paper come 2026,” Simon Byabakama Mugenyi the Electoral Commission chairperson.
On the first day of nominations, the commission cleared three candidates and on the last day, five candidates were nominated.
The incumbent President Museveni was among the first to be cleared.
He was nominated alongside independent candidates Elton Joseph Mabirizi and Peasants Party president Robert Kasibante.
The second and final day of nominations, Wednesday 24th September, saw four more candidates officially added to the presidential race.
Among them was Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, representing the National Unity Platform (NUP).
His nomination drew significant public attention, with large crowds turning up in support as he declared the launch of a “protest vote” campaign aimed at ending decades of what he called oppression and misrule.
Also nominated on the same day were Nathan Nandala Mafabi of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT),Mubarak Munyagwa of Common Man’s Party and Frank Bulira Kabinga from Revolutionary People’s Party.
The nomination of these seven candidates officially sets the stage for a high-stakes presidential contest as the country heads toward the 2026 general elections.
Each candidate is expected to unveil their manifesto in the coming weeks as campaigns officially begin.
The commission has urged all candidates and their supporters to engage in lawful, peaceful, and issue-based campaigns.
The 2026 official campaigns will kick off on 29th September 2025. The commission has urged candidates to say no to violence. “In whatever we do, let us not disrupt the peace of this country,” Simon Byabakama warned.
