The race to unseat President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the 2026 general elections is attracting a diverse pool of aspirants, with over 28 Ugandans so far picking nomination forms from the Electoral Commission (EC).
Among those seeking to end Museveni’s decades-long rule are familiar and new faces on the political scene. They include former presidential candidate John Katumba, 20-year-old Jolly Najjemba—a recent Senior Six graduate—former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) guild president David William Magezi, 25-year-old Sam Koojo from Fort Portal, and 24-year-old Pollin Nankambwe, a law student at Uganda Christian University, Mukono, among others.
According to EC guidelines, each aspiring presidential candidate must collect and submit at least 9,800 signatures from registered voters across the country, pay a Shs 20 million nomination fee, and return the signed forms at least two weeks before the official nomination exercise.
The growing list of contenders signals an increasingly competitive electoral season, with a mix of seasoned politicians, youth leaders, and first-time aspirants gearing up for Uganda’s most high-stakes political contest.
UgDecides2026
