KAMPALA.
At least 123 aspirants have picked nomination forms to vie for parliamentary seats under the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) in next year’s General Elections .
According to PFF Electoral Commission Chairperson,Mr Michael Kabaziguruka the party guidelines allow members to pick forms from district offices or the party’s national headquarters.
“For the positions of President, Member of Parliament, LCV Chairpersons, and City Mayors, the return of nomination forms is strictly done at the party headquarters. However, some people still pick the forms from other party offices,” Kabaziguruka said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
He added that nomination fees are paid upon return of the forms, a policy intended to give candidates time to consult their supporters and secure backing before formally entering the race.
Among the early entrants is long-term Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, who is seeking re-election on the PFF ticket.
He pointed to alarming youth unemployment figures from the recent national census as a key issue.
“Kira has a population of 459,000, with 150,000 youth aged 18 to 30. Of those, 43,000 are neither in school nor employed. That’s 33 percent, and it shows that youth are still struggling to make ends meet,” Ssemujju said.
He criticized the government for exporting labour to foreign markets rather than creating jobs at home. “The government has mainly succeeded in exporting young people to the Middle East to work as house maids and security guards. This means we are exporting the manpower we still need here at home.”
The PFF Secretary General, Harold Kaijja, is also seeking to become MP in Nansana Municipality, which he says has been shortchanged in budget allocation despite its large population.
“Nansana has a population of 700,000 and a budget of less than Shs 20 billion. Other municipalities with smaller populations have bigger budgets. This shows the injustices happening in this country,” Kaijja said.
Also vying for a seat is Joan Naava Nabatanzi, PFF’s Wakiso District Women Chairperson, who wants to represent Wakiso District as Woman MP. She said poor infrastructure is holding back local business, especially for women.
“Being in the central region, Wakiso’s poor infrastructure affects business growth—especially for women who are increasingly entering the business world,” Naava said. If elected, she pledged to lobby for more resources to improve the district’s economic standing.
PFF officials said more candidates are expected to pick nomination forms in the coming weeks.
Nomination Fees (Shs):
President – Shs2.5 million
MPs – Shs500,000
District Chairpersons – Shs500,000
City Mayors – Shs500,000
Division Mayors – Shs250,000
Municipal Mayors – Shs250,000
LCIII Chairpersons – Shs50,000
LCV & IV Councillors – Shs25,000
LCIII Councillors – Shs20,000