2026 general election: EC changes presidential nomination dates

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 ROAD TO 2026 

The Uganda Electoral Commission (EC) has brought forward the nomination of presidential candidates for the 2026 general elections to September 23-24 (this year) from the earlier scheduled October 2-3 date.

This has been done after "taking into consideration the post-nomination processes that have to be concluded" before the candidates can head out for campaigns, EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi told a press conference at the commission's headquarters in Kampala on Friday (July 18).

These activities will include the production of ballot paper samples, harmonization of the campaign programme, and the signing of the memorandum of undertaking by all nominated candidates.

The EC felt that maintaining the earlier nomination dates would eat into the amount of time the nominated candidates would have to prepare for their campaigns, as a result of the post-nomination processes.

Therefore, bringing the nomination dates forward will accord the candidates more time to set themselves amply and plan better for their respective campaign itineraries.

Byabakama also announced other key dates under the 2025-2026 General Elections Roadmap.

The nomination of candidates for local governments, inclduing Special Interest Groups (SIGs), will take place from September 3 until September 12, 2025.

The nomination of parliamentary candidates will follow (September 16-17).

Then the nomination of candidates for SIGs representatives to local governments will take place from December 8 until December 12. 

Byabakama said the campaign period for candidates for all elective positions will be as follows:

▪️ Presidential campaigns: From October 4 until January 12, 2026
▪️ Parliamentary campaigns: From September 23 until January 12, 2026
▪️ Local government, including SIGs: From September 13 until January 12, 2026.

Polling or voting for presidential, parliamentary and local government councils (city/district; municipality/city division; and sub-county, town, municipal division),
including SIGs representatives, will take place between January 12 and February 9, 2026.

What you will need

The commission also pointed out the "critical" pre-nomination procedures that aspirants must keep in mind.

Presidential aspirants will need a backing of not less than 100 registered voters in each of at least two-thirds of all the districts in Uganda (that is around 97 districts).

Byakama said the EC will announce "soon" when presidential aspirants will start to collect the supporter forms, as well as the period for collection of signatures and their submission for verification by the EC teams.

The EC will also announce the start date for collecting nomination forms for the parliamentary and local government councils elections, plus the "relevant nomination guidelines".

Meanwhile, the commission conducted Friday (July 18) another set of SIGs elections, this time focusing on youth committees.

Friday's exercise took place at sub-county, town council and municipal division level. It followed SIGs elections for older persons committees and persons with disabilities (PWDs) conducted earlier this week.