The Uganda Electoral Commission has today ended the nomination of the candidates who are set to battle for Uganda’s 2026 presidential elections after carrying out the two-day exercise held at its offices in Lweza.
According to the Electoral Commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama Mugeny, who said that they have managed to have eight presidential candidates who are nominated and that the exercise will end with the eight candidates who will appear on the Ballot Paper come 2026.
Yesterday, 23rd September 2025, the Electoral Commission cleared three candidates, and today, 24th September 2025, the commission cleared the five candidates that were nominated.
The incumbent President Museveni was the first to be cleared, followed by the independent candidates Elton Joseph Mabirizi and Robert Kasibante of the Peasants Party.
The second and final day of nominations, Wednesday 24th September, saw four more candidates officially added to the presidential race.
These included 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.
