The Electoral Commission has cleared the President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, for presidential nomination.
This decision comes just two days after the Commission had informed Bobi Wine that signatures submitted from 18 out of 98 required districts could not be verified. As of Friday, only three candidates including incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had met all the nomination requirements.
According to the Electoral Commission, aspiring presidential candidates must submit at least 100 verified supporters’ signatures from each of at least 98 districts across the country.
Initially, the Commission confirmed that it had verified signatures from only 80 districts submitted by the NUP leader, leaving 18 districts unaccounted for an issue that could have disqualified him from the nomination process unless additional valid signatures were submitted.
In response, the NUP mobilized supporters and submitted fresh signatures from at least 36 districts for verification.
Speaking earlier, Kyagulanyi confirmed that the Electoral Commission had cleared him for nomination.
“The National Unity Platform (NUP) has submitted a list of supporters for the 2026 presidential election, and the Electoral Commission has verified at least 100 supporters from two-thirds of all districts in Uganda,” the Commission stated in a communication to the aspirant.
President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is seeking a seventh term in office. His nomination forms were submitted on his behalf by NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong and First National Vice Chairman Moses Kigongo.
Bobi Wine is widely regarded as Museveni’s strongest challenger, setting the stage for a high-stakes political rematch. So far, over 160 individuals have picked up presidential nomination forms, and several parties including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have signaled their intent to field candidates, indicating a highly competitive race in the 2026 general election.
Observers believe a rematch between Museveni and Bobi Wine will dominate Uganda’s political discourse, reigniting debates on leadership, democracy, and the country’s future.
In the last presidential election held on January 14, 2021, 11 candidates contested the presidency. Out of 18,103,603 registered voters, 10,350,819 cast their ballots, marking a voter turnout of 57.2%. President Museveni won with 6,042,898 votes (58.38%), while Bobi Wine secured second place with 3,631,437 votes (35.08%).
That result extended Museveni’s rule past four decades, cementing his status as one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
