Queries as Nyamutoro is Declared Unopposed; NUP Candidate Disqualified

The Electoral Commission’s decision to nullify the nomination of NUP’s Mercy Rebecca Abedican and declare Minister Phiona Nyamutoro elected unopposed has triggered sharp debate over the integrity of Uganda’s nomination verification system and its implications for the 2026 elections.

In a letter dated November 13, EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said the Commission found that two nominators—Ongiera Godfrey and Bediic Jimmy—denied signing Abedican’s nomination forms.

Abedican reportedly failed to provide convincing rebuttal, leaving her short of the required 10 nominators under the Parliamentary Elections Act.

Critics argue that the EC’s approach—verifying signatures only when petitions are filed—creates a loophole that can be exploited.

The Commission has district offices and the capacity to verify nominators before nominations are declared successful.

Yet in practice, verification often occurs after candidates have already been confirmed and begun campaigning.

This reactive system allows for late-stage disputes and casts doubt on the consistency of the Commission’s actions.

Former presidential candidate Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba described the EC’s conduct as “unthinkable,” arguing that the Commission should proactively contact nominators to avoid exactly this type of controversy.

Opposition parties warn that the decision sets a dangerous precedent.

FDC’s Moses Byamugisha said the ruling opens a “floodgate” where political actors can persuade a single nominator to withdraw support and have a rival candidate disqualified.

Analysts note that with dozens of petitions already emerging across the country, similar disputes could dramatically reshape the ballot—potentially limiting the number of opposition candidates who survive the nomination stage.

High Stakes in West Nile

The ruling comes just days before NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) campaigns in West Nile, a region both NRM and opposition parties view as strategically vital.

The sudden disqualification hands Nyamutoro a risk-free victory and removes a potential point of mobilisation for NUP in Nebbi.

While the EC says its ruling is grounded in law, analysts argue that its timing and the post-nomination verification method risk undermining public confidence.

Calls for reform—including pre-nomination verification and digital signature systems—are likely to intensify