The Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, has confirmed the duly nomination of three Presidential candidates to stand for presidency on the first day of nomination at it’s Lweza headquarters.
While addressing media after the day’s proceedings, Justice Byabakama noted that NRM’s President Yoweri Museveni, National Peasants Party Robert Kasibante and two time candidate on the Conservative Party ticket Elton Joseph Mabirizi were nominated on Tuesday.
Byabakama noted that the nomination exercise will continue tomorrow with so far two candidates, NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi and FDC’s Nandala Mafabi confirmed to appear for nomination tomorrow.
“As of now, the candidates expected tomorrow are two, however as I indicated earlier on, since the commission has continued to verify the supporters of those two who managed to receive the papers, we shall confirm this evening how many more have successfully been able to satisfy the number of supporters from the districts as indicated” he said.
President Yoweri Museveni was the first duly nominated Presidential candidate for the 2026 elections.
President Museveni, was accompanied by First Lady Janet Museveni arrived at the Electoral Commission Lweza offices for the 10am nomination where he was welcomed by the party’s top leaders including Speaker Anita Among and PM Robinah Nabbanja among others.
While addressing media briefly after his nomination, President Museveni said there is need to convince Ugandans about what has been achieved in the past by the NRM government and what it plans to do in the next term in office.
“We have got two major thrusts, number one is to work with the middle class and investors outside to completely transform Uganda from a lower middle income country which we are now to high middle income country moving towards first world country” he said.
He added, “In this term that has ended, the GDP of Uganda has doubled apparently, at the end of the last Kisanja we were at 34 billion USD, we are now 66 billion USD, I really don’t know why NRM doesn’t talk about some of these things because they are remarkable”.
The National Peasants Party (NPP) flag bearer Robert Kasibante was the second candidate to be declared by the commission.
While addressing media after his nomination, Kasibante called for citizen-led change and inclusive development.
“We must break the walls of inequality, restore dignity, the teachers, the nurses deserve a future that is certain,” he said.
Kasibante added, “To the international community, we invite you to build a new model of inclusive development. We are the majority empowered, not exploited. I come with courage, unbreakable will. I come to you. This is your campaign”.
Conservative Party’s Elton Joseph Mabirizi was finally nominated on Tuesday after he was initially deferred over submitting an uncertified Master’s Degree qualification.
The second time Presidential candidate was however able to travel to the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) and get his masters certified before returning and getting nominated.
Presidential Aspirants Continue Flocking Electoral Commission for Clearance
People’s Front for Freedom (PFF)’s Michael Kabaziguruka and Coordinator of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Alice Alaso, were seen at the commission headquarters in Kampala to find out what’s preventing their presidential candidate, Gen Mugisha Muntu, from being cleared for nomination.
Presidential aspirant Joseph Kabuleta, Ecological Party of Uganda (EPU) leader Muhammad Nsereko and Common Man’s Party (CMP) leader Mubarak Munyagwa were also seen at the commission headquarters awaiting clearance for nomination.
