UPC Sets Presidential Nomination Fee at Shs 20m, Warns Aspiring Candidates: 'You Must Be Loaded'

The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has dropped another hammer as it gears up for the 2026 general elections: anyone eyeing the party’s presidential flag must cough up a cool Shs 20 million just to be nominated.

Speaking during the release of the party’s election roadmap, UPC Electoral Commission Chairman Hajji Kazimbiraine Mahmoud didn’t sugarcoat the announcement, throwing down a sharp question to would-be contenders:

“If you can’t pay the 20 million nomination fee, how will you spend over 20 billion shillings to campaign nationwide?”

The message was clear: politics isn’t for the faint-hearted — or the light-pocketed.

Presidential Nomination Fee: Pay to Play

Under the new guidelines, any aspirant seeking the UPC presidential ticket will need to pay Shs 20 million, wired straight to the party’s designated account before nomination papers can be formally accepted.

“Don’t fear to pick the form,” Kazimbiraine said with a half-smile. “But to return it, you must be loaded.”

UPC’s leadership is justifying the high fee as a screening measure to ensure that only serious contenders those who can realistically mount a nationwide campaign are on the ballot.

In a country where national campaigns can gulp up billions, the party seems to be saying: if you’re still counting coins, you’re probably not ready for State House.

Other Nomination Fees: MPs, Mayors, Councillors

The tough love didn’t stop with presidential aspirants. UPC has also set nomination fees for other political positions across the board:

Members of Parliament (MPs): Shs 1 million

City Mayors: Shs 1 million

LCV Chairpersons: Shs 500,000

Division Mayors: Shs 200,000

LCIV Councillors: Shs 100,000

Other Local Councillors: Shs 20,000 and below

It’s a sliding scale — but no matter your level, you better show up with cash in hand.

These announcements come as UPC pushes a broader strategy of grassroots renewal, aiming to rebuild its structure from the villages upward before stepping into the national spotlight. The party is midway through registering members, organising branch elections, and preparing for primaries across Uganda.

Still, the emphasis on money is a cold reminder of the reality of modern politics. Passion and slogans are great — but campaigns, from leaflets to radio jingles to massive rallies, cost money.

“Do you want to campaign with just 500,000?” Kazimbiraine scoffed. “You will be swallowed before you even reach the sub-county.”

Some rank-and-file UPC members have quietly grumbled that the high nomination fees could shut out young, energetic candidates who have ideas but not big wallets.

One youth leader, speaking anonymously, said, “This is turning into a rich man’s club. Where are the young voices supposed to come from?”

Party leadership, however, seems unfazed by the criticism, insisting that financial muscle is a necessary tool for political survival in Uganda’s bruising, expensive electoral landscape.

With primaries set to roll out from May through August 2025, UPC is tightening its operations in what it hopes will be a great comeback season.

Party presidential nominations will happen at both the grassroots and district levels, with the final presidential election within UPC scheduled for July 30, 2025.

Meanwhile, primaries for MPs, local government officials, and special interest groups are mapped out across May, July, and August. Declaration of flag bearers is expected to wrap up by mid-August — just before the inevitable flood of electoral petitions hits.

As Kazimbiraine put it, there’s no turning back:

“This is a journey we have started. It is the members that will shape the party they want.”

Whether they shape a party ready for the 21st century — or one trapped by 20th-century money politics — remains to be seen.

If you can’t pay the 20 million nomination fee, how will you spend over 20 billion shillings to campaign nationwide?