KAMPALA
The National Unity Platform (NUP) on Monday kicked off a vetting process to scritinise more than 7,800 candidates who are seeking party tickets for various elective positions ahead of next year general elections .
The exercise began with the vetting of Kampala local government leaders and between August 2 to 7 , focus will be on candidates in Wakiso district local government . The party electoral management committee will be tween August 8 to 13 vet candidates from sub-regions while LC5 chairpersons, city mayors and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) mayor will be chosen from 14 to 18 August 2025.
The Members of Parliament (MPs) will be chosen from August 20 to 27, 2025, NUP deputy ,according to NUP deputy spokesperson Waisswa Mufumbiro .
According to Mufumbiro, the rigorous exercise aims to ensure that only candidates who embody the party’s principles and values are endorsed ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“The NUP party electoral management committee, led by chairperson Harriet Chemutai, have started the process of vetting over 7800 candidates who showed interest to hold the flag of the party in various positions in the country,” Mufumbiro said.
“We nominated one presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, 940 MPs, 204 district women MPs, 171 district chairpersons, 343 municipality and city mayors, 3450 division and sub-county chairpersons and councillors, 1963 division and sub-county women councillors, 380 city councillors and 333 city women councillors.”
Vetting process
The vetting is being conducted by a team of NUP officials who will assess each candidate’s qualifications, integrity and commitment to the party’s ideology.
“The process involves a thorough evaluation of the candidates’ academic credentials, their track record of public service, and their stance on key issues affecting the country, and this shall determine just 40% of their success chances. As a people-centred party, field work shall take 60% of the whole exercise to determine who represents NUP’s interest in public,” Mufumbiro emphasised.
The public knows who is NUP and who is the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party supporter and sympathiser, and the report in the public field convinces us to determine who is against the people or working for them, Mufumbiro observed.
The vetting process is crucial in ensuring that NUP endorses candidates who are worthy of the party’s ticket.
“We aim to present NUP as a credible alternative to the ruling party, with a slate of candidates who are committed to serving the people of Uganda.”
During the vetting process, NUP officials will consider several key factors, including candidates’ academic qualifications, integrity and commitment to ideology.