Progress of the Exercise of Nomination of Candidates for General Elections, 2025/2026

The Electoral Commission appointed 3rd September to 24th September 2025, as the period for the nomination of candidates for Local Government Councils Elections 2026.

The exercise commenced on Wednesday 3rd September 2025, with the nomination of candidates for District/City Chairpersons, Lord Mayor, and Councillors, including Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The nomination for this category was concluded on Friday 5th September 2025.

The nomination of candidates for subsequent categories of Local Government Councils will be nominated as follows:

No

Elective Position

Nomination Date

Nomination Venue

1.

Nomination of candidates for Municipality/City Division Chairpersons and Councillors, including Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

8th – 10th September 2025

(ongoing)

The gazetted District/City Nomination Center

2.

Nomination of candidates for Municipal Division Chairpersons and Councillors including Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

11th – 24th September 2025

The gazetted District/City Nomination Center

3.

Nomination of candidates for Sub County and Town Chairpersons and Councillors including Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

11th – 24th September 2025

Gazetted County Nomination Center

The nomination of candidates for Presidential Elections marks a critical milestone on the electoral Roadmap. The Commission appreciates all stakeholders in the electoral process, and particularly the Political Parties/Organisations and Independent for their support and participation in nomination exercise so far.

The Commission further congratulates those who have been successfully nominated and urges them to abide by the guidelines issued by the Commission for the subsequent phase of the electoral process, namely, campaigns.

As you are aware, the Electoral Commission is mandated under Article 61 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (as amended), and Section 15 of the Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176, to hear and determine complaints arising before and during elections. This mandate includes addressing complaints related to the nomination process.

However, the Commission has observed that some participants in the recently concluded—and ongoing—nomination processes have resorted to using various media platforms to raise allegations of irregularities. The Commission wishes to emphasize that such platforms are not the appropriate channels for addressing complaints or allegations.

Any individual or entity with a complaint is advised to submit it officially to the Electoral Commission, in writing, to enable the Commission to examine the matter and determine the appropriate course of action.

The Commission appreciates the Political Parties, Organisations, and Independent aspirants/candidates who have adhered to this procedure and assures them that their complaints are being handled in accordance with the electoral laws.

Further, as the nomination exercise progresses, the Commission wishes to emphasise the following:

1. All persons aspiring to contest in these elections are urged to familiarize themselves with the requirements for nomination for each elective position, as outlined in the Guidelines issued by the Commission, and available on www.ec.or.ug, and at our offices in each district/city. Some aspirants have failed in their nomination bid because of non-compliance with the requirements for nomination for the respective elective position;
2. We advise aspirants for Local Government Council Elections to pay the respective non-refundable fee in cash or bank draft payable to the relevant Local Government Council and obtain General Receipts before nomination days;
3. Symbols shall be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. The Commission shall not reserve symbols for independent candidates prior to nomination. Where an elective position is contested, the Commission shall allocate symbols approved by the Commission after nomination basing on the sponsoring Political Party/Organization or independent or in any other case as it may consider appropriate;
4. Independent candidates must ensure that they have selected and been allocated a symbol before leaving the nomination venue which shall be done by the candidate signing against the selected symbol on the Nomination Control form;
5. The Commission wishes to guide that the withdrawal of a duly nominated candidate may be effected by means of a written notification to the Commission signed by the candidate and witnessed by two registered voters of the electoral area, and where sponsored by a Political Party/Organisation, the notification shall be signed by the Secretary General of the party or a person so authorized by the party;
6. Where no candidate is nominated, the Returning Officer shall report to the Commission and it shall appoint fresh nomination dates for the affected electoral area;
7. We wish to emphasise that a person who uses a convoy of vehicles for the purpose of his/her nomination shall have no more than two (2) vehicles in the convoy and each vehicle shall bear police stickers and shall not carry more than ten persons.

Establishment of Help Desk for Managing Nomination Queries

The Commission has set up a Query/Complaints Desk at the Electoral Commission Head Offices, to support the exercise of nomination of candidates for the 2025/2026 General Elections.

The Query/Complaints’ Desk will provide any required information to the public and to election officials, to facilitate the process of verification of aspirants or supporters on the National Voters’ Register.

The Desk will provide guidance on any legal issues and respond to general inquiries during the nomination exercise.

The Desk has toll free lines to enable members of the public raise any issue related to the nomination exercise for expeditious handling by the Commission.

No.

Tel. Number

Description

1.

0800 300121

Toll-free number (can be called by all networks, e.g. Airtel; MTN; UTel; etc.,) at no cost to the caller.

2.

0800 300122

Toll-free number (can be called by all networks, e.g. Airtel; MTN; UTel; etc.,) at no cost to the caller.

3.

0393 280498

Not-toll-free (chargeable number)

4.

0392 004158

Not-toll-free (chargeable number)

5.

0393 280488

Not-toll-free (chargeable number)

All the stakeholders in this process are urged to make use of this toll free facility during the nomination period from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Nomination of Candidates for Presidential Elections, 23rd – 24th September 2025

The Electoral Commission has appointed Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th September 2025 as the dates for nomination of candidates for Presidential Elections 2026.

This will take place at the Electoral Commission Head Office Grounds, located on Plot 2508, Lubowa, Kigo-Lweza Road, in Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Council, Wakiso District, beginning at 10:00am and ending at 4:00pm on each of the appointed dates.

A person aspiring for nomination as Presidential Candidate shall be a citizen of Uganda by birth, a registered voter, of 18 years and above.

An aspiring candidate shall submit certified copies of educational qualifications confirming that he/she obtained a minimum formal education of Advanced (A) Level or its equivalent.

An aspiring candidate whose academic qualifications are equivalent to A Level, and an aspiring candidate whose academic qualifications were obtained outside Uganda shall have to establish such qualification by producing a certificate issued to him or her by the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) in consultation with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). Such a certificate should have been submitted to the Electoral Commission by now.

The candidate’s nomination shall be supported by not less than one hundred (100) persons who are registered voters, from not less than ninety-eight (98) districts, which form two thirds (2/3) of all the districts of Uganda.

Due to the sizeable number of signatures required for nomination as a Presidential candidate, the Commission reminds aspirants (Presidential) to submit the lists of supporters to the Electoral Commission for verification at least two weeks before the nomination dates, that is, at least by 10th September 2025.

The advance submission will enable the Commission to verify the submitted lists, thereby allowing aspirants to proceed with fulfilling other requirements—such as paying the non-refundable fee and booking an appointment on any of the gazetted dates—well in advance, to ensure a smooth nomination process.