NUP starts vetting of over 7,800 candidates for party tickets

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The National Unity Platform (NUP) has begun vetting more than 7,800 candidates seeking party tickets for various elective positions.

The exercise began on Monday, July 28, with the vetting of Kampala local government leaders. It will resume with Wakiso district local government from 2 to 7 August, sub-regions from 8 to 13 August 2025, LC5 chairpersons, city mayors and the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) mayor from 14 to 18 August 2025, and Members of Parliament (MPs) from August 20 to 27, 2025, NUP deputy spokesperson Waisswa Mufumbiro said while addressing the press at the party's headquarters in Makerere-Kavule, Kampala.

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.

NUP electoral management committee (EMC) member for Buganda, John Mary Ssebuwufu addressing the media. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

“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.

NUP candidates fume over Ssebuwufu’s role at EMC

The involvement of John Mary Ssebuwufu on the NUP electoral management committee (EMC) has left party members fuming, claiming that his inclusion threatens internal democracy.

“How can someone seeking re-election as the division councillor for Nakawa West be among those vetting for party tickets?” James Kaweesi, a party supporter, asked.

“You can’t be a referee and a player at the same time. Why is president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu shielding this open conflict of interest? This is both legally and morally wrong as per our constitution,” Kaweesi insisted.

According to the NUP constitution, the electoral management committee (EMC) members shall be party members with proven integrity and must not hold any elective position or any other position within the party organs.

“For avoidance of doubt, if a member of the committee wishes to contest for any position, he or she shall resign as a member of the committee six months before the commencement of party nominations in respect of that position or a by-election,” it stated.

“This is inexcusable, unacceptable, and indefensible. Let Ssebuwufu resign now or withdraw from seeking re-election. He is not a magic bullet on Chemtai’s committee. Appoint an impartial party elder to replace Ssebuwufu and solve this mess to reaffirm hope and confidence in all applicants and the public waiting for the flag bearers' results,” he argued.

Ssebuwufu, when contacted, said that he cannot leave his position when the management selected him on merit, even before the time of selecting ticket holders started.

“The process has been ongoing even when those candidates came to pick forms expressing their interests to contest, why are they complaining now?” he asked.

NUP responds

When Mufumbiro was contacted, he said that it is only Ssebuwufu who has experience to offer since he was the only one standing on the 2020 electoral commission committee that was disbanded before a new one under Chemutai was constituted.

“There is no cause for alarm because Ssebuwufu is the only experienced member among those on the new committee. He saw how we selected the members in 2020, and we can’t miss him,” Mufumbiro responded.

The committee under scrutiny comprises vice chairperson Ivan Ssempijja, technical advisor Alex Rovans Rwanyaga, Buganda representative John Mary Ssebuwufu, eastern Uganda representative Freddie Egesa Achoka, northern Uganda representative Patrick Laum, western Uganda representative Julian Kabagambe, publicity secretary Salim Sulutan, legal advisor Jonathan Eloto and committee secretary Eddy Kayabula.