Africa-Press – Uganda. The Secretary General of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Mr David Lewis Rubongoya, has assured that the opposition party will run its ongoing vetting exercise within the framework of the Electoral Commission principles.
Speaking at the party’s headquarters at Makerere-Kavule on Tuesday, August 5, Rubongoya assured aspirants and supporters that NUP’s internal processes are aligned with national electoral standards.
“We are going to follow the electoral commission protocols used in the country, the party still has time to finalize its candidate list before the official nomination deadlines,” he said.
NUP, the main opposition party with as many as 57 members in the Eleventh Parliament, has been vetting its aspirants seeking leadership ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Given the mad dash for the party’s endorsement, the exercise has been fraught with allegations of foul play, including bribery and intimidation of prospective aspirants.
While there is no single legal code or EC document that governs how internal party vetting should be conducted – each party develops and manages its own internal vetting procedures within the broader legal framework overseen by the EC, a set of national laws and regulations that guide the minimum requirements and electoral conduct for political parties, candidates, and the EC itself.
The Commission requires that all political aspirants meet key statutory requirements before nomination. These include holding a minimum of an A‐Level certificate or its equivalent verified by the National Council for Higher Education or UNEB, with documents submitted at least two months prior to nomination—except for certain local qualifications.
Aspirants currently holding public office must resign within specific timelines, depending on the position sought.
Additionally, candidates sponsored by political parties must present formal endorsements signed and sealed by their party’s Secretary General or an authorized official, submitted in accordance with EC procedures.
Rubongoya said NUP was committed to adhering to the set framework to ensure a transparent election process.
The vetting process, which began by last week and runs through August, involves interviews and questionnaires where aspirants are assessed on leadership ability, party knowledge, and community engagement.
But Rubongoya said the party is not rushing the process.
“We still have time, what I can assure Ugandans is that our process is transparent, and we are committed to bringingout candidates who reflect the will of the people,” he said.
NUP is vetting over 7,800 aspirants in July–August 2025. The process includes evaluation of academic credentials, integrity, public-service records, and ideological alignment.
Notably, NUP assigns 40% weight to academics and track record, and 60% to field work and community engagement.
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