The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s leading opposition party, has officially begun receiving applications from members seeking to contest in the upcoming 2026 general elections, a move that signals the start of a new, heated phase in Uganda’s political calendar.
The announcement was made via the party’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle earlier today:
“The EMC panel is officially receiving interested party members who have expressed interest in vying for elective positions. Good luck to all! #PeoplePowerOurPower”
The Electoral Management Committee (EMC), the body tasked with vetting, organizing, and managing all NUP internal electoral processes, will preside over the receipt and evaluation of applications from aspiring candidates across Uganda’s 146 districts.
The reception of interest forms marks the beginning of a process that party insiders describe as rigorous, merit-based, and people-centred.
Party President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine has previously emphasized that NUP will not hand out flags casually, only those who demonstrate commitment to the cause of a new Uganda will earn the right to carry the party banner.
“We don’t just want numbers in Parliament. We want revolutionaries. We want servants of the people. Our mission is bigger than elections, it is liberation,” Bobi Wine told delegates at a recent resilience training session in Fort Portal.
NUP’s message of grassroots mobilization and political renewal continues to resonate strongly with Uganda’s massive youth population, a demographic increasingly disillusioned with traditional political structures.
At the heart of the ongoing exercise is a deliberate strategy to attract bold, young, and visionary Ugandans from diverse backgrounds, from boda boda riders and market vendors to teachers, lawyers, and health workers.
“This is not politics as usual. If you have integrity, if you understand your community, if you’re ready to stand up for justice, NUP is your home,” said Mercy Walukamba, the party’s Deputy Spokesperson.
With the Electoral Commission’s roadmap already underway, the 2026 elections are shaping up to be one of Uganda’s most competitive and defining polls. NUP, which stunned the political establishment in 2021 by sweeping constituencies in the central and parts of eastern Uganda, is now looking to solidify and expand its base across the country.
The opening of the candidate expression process will likely trigger a flood of applications, especially in areas like Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja, Mbarara, and Gulu, where discontent with the ruling NRM remains high.
According to party officials, the EMC has laid out a clear, transparent, and community-driven process to assess potential flagbearers. This includes background checks, vetting for integrity, interviews, and in some cases, consultations with local communities to validate the candidate’s grassroots support.
“We want to avoid the pitfalls of recycled politics. This is about building a new leadership class.”
The expression of interest phase will run for several weeks, after which shortlisting and vetting will begin. Successful candidates will then be presented to the public as official NUP flagbearers for local council, parliamentary, mayoral, and special interest positions.
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