Museveni’s team collects nomination forms as over 75 join presidential race

14 August 2025, 11:27 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

On 11 August 2025, the Electoral Commission officially began issuing nomination forms to Ugandans intending to stand for the presidency in the forthcoming 2026 general elections. According to the Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, the exercise will conclude on 24 August 2025. Since the opening day, several individuals have visited the commission headquarters to collect forms as the first step in meeting the requirements for their presidential bids.

Yesterday, the Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Richard Twodong, accompanied by the party’s First National Vice Chairman, Moses Kigongo, collected nomination forms on behalf of the party chairman and President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, who is on an official state visit to Egypt. Speaking to journalists at the party headquarters after collecting the forms, Twodong expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of aspirants.

“We are grateful that people are collecting nomination forms to contest for the presidency. The high number of aspirants shows that the NRM has created a favourable environment for anyone willing to contest for any post,” he said.

The Electoral Commission has revealed that over 75 people have so far collected nomination forms for the presidency, with the number expected to rise before the exercise closes. Among those who have collected forms are Yvonne Mpambara, Nankambwe Pollin, and former presidential candidates Elton Mabirizi and John Katumba, among others.

Since gaining independence in 1962, Uganda has had nine presidents, with Yoweri Museveni serving the longest. Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission reminded aspiring candidates that they must obtain 100 signatures from registered voters in each of the country’s 98 districts. These signatures will be verified before candidates can proceed to the next stage, which includes paying a non-refundable fee of 20 million shillings.

It is worth noting that some of Uganda’s major political parties, including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), National Unity Platform (NUP), Democratic Party (DP), and Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), have not yet collected presidential nomination forms.