KAMPALA. Popular musician cum- politician Bobi Wine has been formally nominated by the Uganda Electoral Commission (EC) to make a second attempt to dislodge the incumbent Yoweri Museveni who is already set to extend his rule beyond 40 years .
After nomination, Bobi Wine born Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu like the previous candidates has been handed a brand new official car ,escort car with VIP security personnel from Anti-Terrorism Unit by the EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama.
His nomination brings the number of candidates ready to challenge Museveni to five including Alliance for National Transformation presidential candidate Gregory Mugisha Muntu , the National Resistance Movement flagbearer ,Robert Kasibante of the National Peasants Party ,Elton Joseph Mabirizi of Conservative Party and Forum for Democratic Change first-time presidential candidate Nandala Nathan Mafabi.
Immediately after nomination, Kyagulanyi, 42 told Journalists that when elected president promised to be a people’s servant .
“,Ugandans are yearning for change and want to see a new president . Let this election not be a military operation but a true election,” he said
He is expected to address a rally at Kaala playground in Nateete –west of Kampala in the evening
During the 2021 General Election , Mr Museveni won 5.85 million votes (58.6 percent ), while the main opposition contender Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, won 3.475 million votes (34.8 percent ).
However , as the nominations exercise comes to the end today , there is a long line of presidential aspirants who have not yet been cleared by EC over failure to meant the legal threshold of signatures and other requirements . These Joseph Kabuleta of NEED party, John Katumba, Mubarak Munyagwa and Muhammad Nsereko, who last evening camped at EC offices demanding to be cleared
Nsereko to back Bobi Wine if blocked from ballot
Nsereko, the presidential flag bearer of the Ecological Party of Uganda (EPU), has pledged to support Kyagulanyi if he is locked out of the race .
Speaking on Sanyuka Television on Wednesday morning, Nsereko said, “If I am not on the ballot paper, Bobi Wine is my first choice,” while ruling out support for FDC candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi and other contenders.
He lashed out at EC and its chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama of deliberately frustrating his nomination bid, claiming the electoral body is influenced by those in power and is blocking intelligent candidates like him.
Presidential campaigns are scheduled to commence on September 29, 2025, and will run until the election date on January 12, 2026.