KAMPALA. The Electoral Commission has revealed that only the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer President Museveni and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential hopeful Nandala Mafabi — have so far met the legal threshold for nomination ahead of next year’s General Elections .
In a statement on Saturday EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said out of the 38 presidential aspirants , 25 presidential aspirants had been notified of their status on fulfilling the nomination requirements and some are at various levels of compliance.
He defended EC’s handling of the presidential nomination process, saying its verification of supporters’ signatures is guided strictly by law, even as several opposition parties accused it of bias and deliberate frustration.
Mr Mucunguzi stressed that the verification process was “an elaborate exercise meant to fulfill the dictates of the law” and reminded aspirants that nominations would take place on September 23 and 24 at the Commission headquarters in Lweza–Lubowa along Kampala –Entebbe highway .
The law requires each aspirant to present at least 100 registered voters from not less than two-thirds of all districts in Uganda — translating into 9,800 supporters from 98 districts — and bars any voter from endorsing more than one candidate.
Offenders face a fine of up to Shs480, 000 or imprisonment of up to one year.
Despite the EC’s explanation, opposition parties have expressed frustration.
The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), whose candidate is Gen. Mugisha Muntu, said the Commission’s timing was unfair.
ANT revealed it was informed on September 19 that only 48 of its 98 districts had passed verification-meaning they still have to gather more signatures from 50 districts by close of business on Monday .
“While we acknowledge that verification is part of the nomination process, we strongly disagree with the late communication from the EC,” the party said in a statement, urging supporters to remain steadfast as it rushes to mobilize additional signatures.
The Common’s Party, led by former Kawempe South MP Mubarak Munyagwa, accused the EC of foul play after its file of supporters was rejected. Munyagwa insisted his party was among the first to submit its documents ,but was among the last to get notification .
“We were one of the very first to deliver our signatures, only for the Commission to later turn around and say we did not. This is nothing ,but an attempt to block us,” he said.
He vowed to resubmit excess signatures on Monday.
National Unity Platform (NUP) principal Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was the first to complain on Friday evening accusing the EC of partisanship.
In a post on his microblogging platform X(formerly Twitter) , Kyagulanyi alleged that state security agents intimidated voters who endorsed him, leading to hundreds of signatures being disqualified.
“Shamelessly, GISOs, DISOs, RDCs, etc. have been reaching out to all those who signed for us, intimidating them and threatening them. Then the EC says it called them and they denied having signed for us and therefore removed them from the list. Criminals!” Kyagulanyi posted.
He directed supporters from more than 35 districts to urgently resubmit signatures at the party headquarters, describing the EC’s actions as “a deliberate attempt to frustrate the opposition.” .By Saturday afternoon , NUP secretary general Lewis Rubongoya said the drive they launched on Friday evening had enabled them to correct signatures more than the number needed by EC .