Presidential Nomination Dates Forward
The Electoral Commission has shaken things up for Uganda’s 2025/2026 elections, moving the presidential candidate nomination dates earlier than expected.
EC Chairperson Simon Byabakama last week revealed that instead of the planned October 2nd and 3rd, presidential nominations will now happen on September 23rd and 24th, 2025.
Byabakama said this move is meant to give enough time for all the important post-nomination activities like producing ballot papers and coordinating campaign schedules.
“If we stuck to the original dates, the time left for campaigns would be too short,” he said.
Candidates for local government and parliamentary seats have their own set dates too. Local government nominations will run from September 3rd to 12th, while parliamentary hopefuls will go to the nomination table on September 16th and 17th.
Presidential Nomination Dates Forward
And that’s not all, campaigning officially kicks off for presidential hopefuls on October 4th and runs through January 12th, 2026. Parliamentary campaigns start right after nominations on September 23rd, and local government campaigns begin even earlier on September 13th.
On academic qualifications, Byabakama was crystal clear that presidential, parliamentary, and top local government candidates must hold Advanced Level certificates or their equivalent.
“If your qualifications were earned outside Uganda, you must have them verified by the National Council for Higher Education before submitting to us,” he warned.
Notably, “Those with A Level certificates or higher qualifications earned inside Uganda do not need to verify with the NCHE,” Byabakama clarified.
He urged all candidates to keep an eye on the deadlines and prepare accordingly. “We are committed to a free, fair, and transparent election process and urge everyone to play by the rules,” he said.
The Commission also thanked voters in special interest groups such as older persons, youth, and persons with disabilities for actively participating in ongoing electoral processes.
