Africa-Press – Uganda. The National Unity Platform (NUP) has advised its candidates across Uganda to submit their nomination papers on the first day of the exercise, citing fresh allegations of deliberate frustration by Electoral Commission (EC) officials during the recently concluded district chairperson and city mayor nominations.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the opposition party claimed that multiple aspirants were blocked from nomination, despite having all the required documentation.
The party alleges that Electoral Commission officials engaged in intentional delays and obstruction—particularly targeting NUP candidates—on the final day of nominations.
“Since it was the final day of nominations, it became difficult for the Party to make timely interventions. Nonetheless, we are making formal complaints to the Electoral Commission,” the statement read in part.
According to NUP, many of its candidates for the positions of district chairperson and L.C.5 councillor were unfairly denied an opportunity to be nominated, with EC officials allegedly “using all sorts of excuses” to disqualify or delay them.
As a result, NUP has now instructed its candidates contesting for parliamentary and local government positions to submit their nomination papers on day one of the upcoming exercises. The party says this strategy allows room for urgent intervention in case of any technical or procedural challenges.
“We call upon all our flagbearers at different levels to ensure they appear on the first day of nominations to avoid similar frustrations,” the statement urged.
The allegations come amid growing concerns from opposition parties over what they describe as systemic bias and lack of transparency within the electoral process ahead of the 2026 general elections. The Electoral Commission has previously dismissed such claims, asserting its neutrality and commitment to a fair electoral process.
The nomination window for district chairpersons and city mayors officially closed yesterday. The Electoral Commission is now expected to proceed with parliamentary and local council nominations in the coming weeks. NUP says it will be “closely monitoring” these exercises to ensure fairness and accountability.
As political temperatures rise ahead of the 2026 polls, the party’s move signals its intent to preemptively counter any perceived electoral malpractice, while also highlighting the ongoing friction between opposition forces and Uganda’s electoral management body.
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