Museveni Blocks Majority of RDCs from Contesting in 2026 Elections

President Museveni has declined to approve the resignation requests of several Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and their deputies who had expressed interest in contesting in the 2026 general elections, Nile Post has learnt.

According to highly placed sources, a total of 35 RDCs and Deputy RDCs had submitted their resignations in recent weeks, seeking clearance to join active politics ahead of the 2026 polls.

However, only 12 of them have so far received the green light from the President to proceed with their political ambitions.

Among those whose resignations have been accepted are former Kampala RDC Hudu Hussein, Aminah Lukunga, and Pax Kalema, among others.

Sources familiar with the matter told Nile Post that the decision-making process has been thorough and deliberate. Although the resignation letters were filed weeks ago, each case has been subjected to individual scrutiny to assess the impact of the RDC’s work in their respective districts and constituencies and whether their participation in the elections would improve the party strength in their respective areas

The matter came to a head during a closed-door meeting held earlier today, attended by President Museveni, officials from the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat. The RDCs and Deputy RDCs in question were also summoned to attend.

“It wasn’t just about handing in your resignation and walking away. The President wants to ensure that only those who have shown strong leadership and mobilisation capacity people who can truly ‘shake the ground’ are allowed to go forward,” said one official who attended the meeting but preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Sources also revealed that some individuals whose requests were declined include Faisal Ssebugwawo, the Deputy RDC for Ssembabule District. The President is reportedly not keen on letting go of RDCs he believes still have a critical role to play within government structures, particularly in security coordination and grassroots mobilisation.

The remaining RDCs whose applications were not immediately approved are expected to undergo another round of vetting before a final decision is made.