The Democratic Party (DP) Electoral Management Committee (EMC) has announced that the process of picking and returning nomination forms for the 2026 general elections will continue until further notice.
In a media briefing held on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at Balintuma Road, Rubaga Division, the party’s EMC Chairperson Kennedy Mutenyo confirmed the ongoing interest from party members across the country, with a growing number of individuals expressing their intent to contest for various leadership positions within the party.
“The nomination process started last Wednesday, and so far, we have seen a good turnout. A total of 68 people has picked nomination forms as of this morning,” Mutenyo stated.
Mutenyo specified the geographical breakdown of the applicants, with 17 from Northern Uganda, 14 from Eastern Uganda, 10 from Western Uganda, and 24 from the Buganda region.
He outlined the requirements for those wishing to contest under the DP banner.
According to him, applicants must be registered voters and must submit several documents, including a reference letter from their district chairman, a copy of their national ID, a certified copy of their academic qualifications, and their party card.
Furthermore, applicants must submit a written letter requesting to contest for the DP ticket and provide proof of their nomination payment.
“There is no nomination fee for councillors, but Members of Parliament are required to pay UGX 200,000 as a nomination fee,” Mutenyo clarified.
He also emphasized that all candidates must be at least 18 years old and must be endorsed by registered party members with valid party cards.
As the 2026 general elections draw closer, political parties are grappling with challenges related to internal nominations. Some parties, including DP, are witnessing intense competition for the same positions, while others are still struggling to field candidates for key leadership roles.
According to the Electoral Commission’s roadmap, MPs and local government leaders will be nominated in September 2025, meaning all political parties have less than two months to finalize their internal nomination processes and primaries.
