By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) have separately released their electoral roadmaps for the 2025/26 general elections.
The FDC roadmap was unveiled at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, while the UPC released its plan at Uganda House in Kampala, both events taking place on Monday afternoon.
According to FDC’s Chief Electoral Commissioner Toterebuka Bamwenda Boniface, the picking of nomination forms for presidential aspirants will run from April 30 to May 1, 2025. Forms for other elective positions will be available until May 30, 2025.
Toterebuka said the nomination of candidates will take place at the Najjanankumbi headquarters and will be handled by the party’s Electoral Commission. Internal vetting will be conducted for all candidates. He revealed that candidates vying for party presidential flag bearer will be elected at the National Delegates Conference due on July 31, 2025.
“All candidates for various positions will be vetted by the party EC. Harmonization with candidates will occur from May 9 to 15, 2025,” Toterebuka said.
Presidential candidates will also participate in a public debate and Q&A session before launching nationwide campaigns from May 19 to July 30, 2025.
The FDC announced that it would maintain its nomination fees, charging UGX 5 million for presidential candidates. Parliamentary aspirants will pay UGX 100,000, district LCV chairpersons and city/municipal mayoral candidates UGX 50,000, and town mayoral candidates UGX 20,000. Other local government positions will not attract any nomination fees.
Key dates in the FDC calendar include local councilor nominations from June 6–7, and parliamentary and mayoral nominations from June 9–10, 2025. Candidates for special interest group positions must submit their expressions of interest by May 9, 2025.
Meanwhile, UPC Electoral Commission Chairperson Hajji Kazimbiraine Mahmoud also launched the party’s 2025/26 electoral roadmap at Uganda House. He said the roadmap was released in accordance with Article 21(1)(2) of the UPC Constitution, 2008 as amended.
According to Kazimbiraine, picking and returning of nomination forms for presidential candidates will be conducted between May 5 and 20, 2025. Adult suffrage elections for the party president at the village branch level will take place between May and June 2025, with nomination of the party’s presidential flagbearer by district and city conferences from June 30 to July 6, 2025. Results will be declared on July 9, 2025.
Candidates must win at least three-thirds of the 146 district conferences to qualify for election by the Delegates Conference. The election and swearing-in of the party president and approval of the cabinet will be held on July 30, 2025.
UPC maintained its nomination fees, charging UGX 20 million for presidential aspirants and UGX 1 million for parliamentary aspirants.
Both parties emphasized that eligibility to contest is contingent on party membership and meeting qualifications prescribed by the national Electoral Commission.
“Our aim is to take over the mantle of this country and lead it to prosperity,” Kazimbiraine said, urging party members to engage actively in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the FDC encouraged members, especially the youth and women to take advantage of the affordable nomination fees to enhance inclusive political participation.
“All members of FDC, whether new or long-standing, have equal rights to vie for any position,” Toterebuka said, explaining that the party deliberately kept fees low to accommodate Ugandans facing financial hardships yet interested in taking up leadership positions in the 2026 general elections.
