Ex-Kaabong district boss promises affordable housing as he joins 180 others vying for presidency

KAMPALA - Former Kaabong district chairperson Mark Abuku has joined a crowded field of 183 presidential aspirants that have so far picked nomination forms for the 2026 General Election.

Abuku, 65, went through a turbulent time as district chairperson in November 2006 when he was remanded in prison for almost a week by the Mbale Magistrate’s Court for allegedly dealing in counterfeit currency.

He told journalists after picking nomination forms from the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters in Kampala on Tuesday (August 19), that he will introduce an affordable housing programme for fresh graduates if elected president next year.

He also promised to reduce the country’s public debt, which rose from $35.1 billion in the financial year 2018/19 to $45.8 billion in 2023/24 financial year.

Other presidential hopefuls who picked forms on the seventh day of the exercise include Robert Ssemwezi, a 37-year-old businessman from Masaka City.

“If elected President, I will cut the size of Parliament to have one MP per district in order to reduce the cost of public administration,” he said.

Francis Opio, on the other hand, promised to provide decent housing for all the security agencies, including the police and the army.

“I will also improve all teachers’ welfare and fight corruption,” Opio, a teacher from Kayunga district, the 42-year-old said.

The exercise of picking forms from the EC headquarters in Kampala from 8:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays will end on September 24, 2025.

Presidential aspirants also pick supporter forms and nomination guidelines for use in collecting signatures of not less than 100 registered voters from at least 98 districts in Uganda.

The law states that a person aspiring for nomination as a presidential candidate must be a citizen of Uganda by birth and a registered voter aged 18 years or above.

The aspirants must also pay a nomination fee of sh20m in the bank and submit certified copies of educational qualifications confirming that they obtained a minimum of A’ Level education or its equivalent. 

15 aspirants rejected

EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, told New Vision Online that so far, the EC principal election officer in charge of election management, Samuel Kiyingi has disqualified 15 people from picking the nomination forms over failure to fulfil the requirements.

“The law in Uganda allows any registered voter aged 18 and above the liberty to pick nominations and contest for the presidency. Also, one must have both an ordinally level and an Advanced certificate or their equivalent.  They must have original certificates, not duplicates or photocopies and must present original National identity Cards,
“Some people fail to fulfil these conditions, leading to being disqualified,” said Mucunguzi.

Too early to return the forms

Mucunguzi also said it is still too early for those who picked the forms to return them after acquiring the required signatures (at least 100 from 98 districts) to the EC offices, because the EC guidelines do not allow it.

“On Monday, the EC declined to receive the over 10,000 signatures from one person. We expect them to return the signatures by September 10, 2025; they have to follow the guidelines and be orderly,” Mucunguzi clarified.