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THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Our Ref: EMT19/01 Date: 30th June, 2025
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, 2025
GUIDELINES FOR NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES
1.0 LAWS APPLICABLE
• The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,1995
• The Electoral Commission Act, Cap. 176 [ECA]
• The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179 [PEA]
• The Political Parties and Organizations Act, Cap. 178 [PPOA] and;
• Attendant Rules, Regulations and Guidelines that may be issued by Commission from time
to time.
2.0 APPOINTMENT OF NOMINATION DAYS [Section 8, of PEA]
2.1 The Commission shall issue a notice in the Gazette appointing two days during which the
nomination of candidates shall take place indicating:-
a) the places and times fixed for nomination of candidates; and
b) the hours on each nomination day, during which nominations are to take place.
2.2 Every place fixed for nomination of candidates shall be a public place such as a court house, city
or town hall, community center or other public or private building in a central place.
2.3 The hours to be indicated shall be from ten o’clock in the morning to four o’clock in the afternoon
(10.00 am - 4.00 pm) on each nomination day.
3.0 QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES [Section 4, of PEA]
3.1 A person is not qualified for election as President unless that person is:
(a) a citizen of Uganda by birth;
(b) at least eighteen years and above;
(c) has completed a minimum formal education of Advanced Level standard or its equivalent;
and
(d) is a registered voter.
3.2 The Commission shall request such evidence as it thinks necessary for the qualifications
specified in 3.1(a) & (b) above.
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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3.3 A person is not qualified for election as a President if that person [Section 4 (3) of PEA]:
(a) is suffering from mental illness;
(b) is holding or acting in an office the functions of which involve a responsibility for or in
connection with the conduct of an election;
(c) is a traditional or cultural leader as defined in clause (6) of Article 246 of the Constitution.
(d) has been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Uganda and
has not been discharged;
(e) is under a sentence of death or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months imposed
by any competent court without the option of a fine;
(f) has within the seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted by a
competent court of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude; and
(g) has within the seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted by a competent
court for contravention of any law relating to elections conducted by the Commission.
4.0 PUBLIC SERVANTS TO RESIGN [Section 4 (5) of PEA]
A public officer or a person employed in any government department or agency of the government
or an employee of a local government or any body in which the Government has controlling interest
who wishes to stand for election as President shall resign his or her office before nomination day.
Evidence of resignation shall be presented to the Returning Officer together with the Nomination
Papers.
5.0 ESTABLISHMENT OF ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS [Section 4 (6) of PEA]
5.1 Any of the following persons wishing to stand for election as president shall establish his or
her qualifications with the Electoral Commission as a person holding a minimum qualification
of Advanced level or its equivalent at least two months before nomination day, in case
of a normal presidential election, or where a presidential election is held otherwise than as
a result of expiry of the term of the President, at least two weeks before nomination day.
Persons required to establish their qualifications include;
(a) Persons, whether their qualification is obtained from Uganda or outside Uganda, who are
claiming to have their qualification accepted as equivalent to Advanced Level education;
(b) Persons claiming to have Advanced level qualification obtained from outside Uganda; and
(c) Persons claiming to have academic degrees which were obtained from outside Uganda.
5.2 A person required to establish his/her qualification(s) under (a) and (b) shall do so by
production of a certificate issued to him or her by the National Council for Higher Education
in consultation with Uganda National Examinations Board [Section 4(7) of PEA].
5.3 A person who claims to possess qualifications referred to in 5.1 (c) shall, before the issue
of the certificate, prove to the satisfaction of the National Council for Higher Education that
admission to that qualification was obtained on the basis of Advanced Level standard of
education or its equivalent [Section 4(8) of PEA].
5.4 If a candidate has an Advanced Level Certificate of Education obtained in Uganda or
qualifications higher than the prescribed qualification obtained in Uganda or obtained from
the former University of East Africa or any of its constituent colleges, then, there shall be
no need for the verification of his or her qualification by the National Council for Higher
Education [Section 4 (14) PEA].
5.5 The Electoral Commission shall not accept for the purpose of this section, a statutory
declaration or affidavit as evidence of an academic qualification [Section 4 (15) of PEA].
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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6.0 SPONSORSHIP OF CANDIDATES BY POLITICAL PARTY OR ORGANISATION
[Section 9 of PEA]
(a) Nomination of candidates may be made by a registered political party or organisation
sponsoring a candidate or by a candidate standing for election as an independent
candidate without being sponsored by a political party or organisation.
(b) Where a candidate is sponsored by a political party/organisation, the nomination paper
shall be endorsed and SEALED by the political party/organisation sponsoring that
candidate.
NB: The Secretary General of a party or a person designated by him or her shall ensure
that the nomination papers are endorsed and sealed.
7.0 NOMINATION PROCEDURE [Section 10 of PEA]
7.1 A person shall not be a candidate in a presidential election unless:
a) that person submits to the Commission on or before the day(s) appointed as nomination
day(s) in relation to the election, a document referred to as a Nomination Paper, which
is signed by that person, nominating him or her as a candidate, and
b) the nomination is supported by not less than one hundred voters in each of at least two
thirds of all the districts of Uganda. (100 voters from a minimum of 98 disricts)
NB: Aspiring candidates are encouraged to submit the lists of supporters to the
Electoral Commission for verification at least 2 weeks before the nomination
dates.
7.2 Each candidate shall attach to his or her nomination paper a list of names of the registered
voters required under 7.1(b) and each of those registered voters shall append to that list his
or her name; signature, physical address and voter registration number as specified in the
Nomination Paper [Section 10 (3) of PEA].
7.3 A person shall not subscribe to more than one nomination paper and no person shall give his
or her support to more than one candidate.
7.4 The Nomination paper shall be accompanied by:
a) a declaration in the form specified in the Fifth Schedule to the PEA;
b) a non refundable fee of one thousand currency points, equivalent to 20,000,000/=
(twenty million) Uganda Shillings payable to the Uganda Administration. Intending
candidates shall pay in any bank which collects Non Tax Revenue guided by the following
steps;
i) Log onto the URA website [Link]
ii) Register and obtain a Payment Registration Number (PRN)
iii) Present the PRN to the bank that shall post the payment to the URA account.
iv) Obtain a receipt from the bank confirming payment
v) The intending candidates shall present the receipt obtained in (iv) to the Commission
on or before nomination day; and
vi) The Commission shall then issue to the intending candidate a General Receipt that he/
she shall use for purpose of nomination as evidence of compliance with 7.4 (b) above
c) three post card size copies of the candidate’s own recent straight face colour
photograph, except that professional or occupation attire shall not be worn by the
proposed candidate in the photo.
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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NB • Aspiring candidates are advised to take their photographs against a light
background, preferably white or grey.
• Aspiring candidates shall write their names, surname first behind each
photograph.
8.0 FACTORS WHICH MAY INVALIDATE A NOMINATION [Section 11 of PEA]
A person shall not be regarded as duly nominated and the nomination paper of any person shall
be regarded as void if:
a) the person’s nomination paper was not signed and seconded in accordance with procedure
under 7.0;
b) the nomination paper of the person was not accompanied by the list of names of registered
voters as required under 7.2;
c) the person has not complied with the requirements under 7.4;
d) the person seeking nomination was not qualified for election under 5.0; and
e) the person seeking nomination has been duly nominated for election as a member of
Parliament.
9.0 RETURNING OFFICER [Section 10 (12) of PEA]
For purposes of the nomination of candidates for a presidential election, the Returning Officer
shall be the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission or a person designated in writing by
the Commission.
10.0 CONVOY OF VEHICLES
a) A candidate who uses a convoy of vehicles for the purpose of his or her nomination shall
have not more than two vehicles in the convoy and each vehicle shall bear police stickers
and shall not carry more than ten (10) persons [Section 10 (13) of PEA].
b) An incumbent President who is a candidate shall use such number of vehicles as is ordinarily
attached to his/her office [Section 28 (2) of PEA].
11.0 INSPECTION OF NOMINATION PAPERS AND LODGING OF COMPLAINTS [Section13,of PEA]
A registered voter may:
a) during office hours on the nomination day, at the office of the Returning Officer or any
other place as determined by the Commission, inspect any nomination paper filed with the
Returning Officer; and
b) after the closure of the nomination time and during such period as may be prescribed,
inspect any nomination paper in respect of a candidate at such time and subject to such
conditions as may be prescribed; and may lodge any complaint with the Returning Officer
or the Commission in relation to any nomination in respect of a candidate challenging the
qualifications of any person nominated.
NB: The Commission shall appoint a period after the closure of nominations for
purposes of inspection referred to in (b) at the Returning Officer’s office at Plot
1-3/5 Seventh Street, Industrial Area, Kampala, Uganda.
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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12.0 ALLOCATION OF SYMBOLS [Section 15 (1) of PEA]
Where an election is contested (i.e. more than one candidate has stood), the Commission shall
as soon as practicable after the nomination days:
a) allocate to each candidate the symbol of his or her political party or organisation in the case
of a candidate sponsored by a registered political party or organisation,
b) allocate to a candidate who is not sponsored by a political party or organisation, a symbol or
colour chosen by him or her; and
c) a symbol or colour under (b) shall be chosen or assigned from among symbols and colours
approved by the Commission for the purpose of the election.
BALL BANANA BOAT BOOK BOREHOLE
CANDLE CAR CHAIR CLOCK COFFEE
CUP HOUSE JERRYCAN KETTLE MEGAPHONE
POT RADIO SAUCEPAN TABLE TELEVISION
NB • The symbols above as approved by the Commission are attached to these
guidelines and they shall be used for election in the form in which they appear.
• Independent candidates must ensure that they have selected and have been
allocated symbols before leaving the nomination venue. This will be done by
candidates signing against the selected symbol.
• Symbols shall be allocted to candidates on a first come first serve basis. There
shall not be advance booking of symbols.
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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13.0 APPEAL TO THE COMMISSION ON REJECTION OF NOMINATION PAPER [Section 14, of PEA]
Where a nomination paper of a person has been rejected or has been regarded as void:
(a) the Returning officer shall forthwith notify the person of the decision giving reasons for the
decision; and
(b) the person shall have the right to complain against the decision to the Commission and the
Commission may confirm or reverse the decision of the Returning Officer.
14.0 SYMBOL NOT TO HAVE SECTARIAN CONNOTATION [Section 15 (3) of PEA]
A person shall not be allocated a symbol or colour which has a tribal or religious affiliation or any
other sectarian connotation.
NB: Aspiring candidates are advised to submit together with their Nomination Paper a
copy of their proposed campaign programme on nomination day(s) for purposes of
harmonisation of campaign programmes of the nominated Candidates
15.0 WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDATES [Section 17 of PEA]
15.1 A duly nominated candidate for election as President may withdraw his/her Candidature at
any time before polling day, in the election for which the person is standing as a candidate.
15.2 A withdrawal of a candidate under 15.1 shall be effected by means of a written notification
to the Commission or the Returning Officer and shall be signed by the candidate personally
and the candidate’s signature shall be witnessed by the signatures of two (2) registered
voters.
15.3 Where a candidate is sponsored by a political party/organisation, the notification shall be
signed and filed by the Secretary General of the political party/organisation or any other
person authorised by the political party/organisation in addition to the above mentioned
requirements.
16.0 DECLARATION OF ELECTED UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES
1. Where a candidate at the time of the closure of nomination is the sole candidate nominated,
the Commission shall publish and declare under its seal within 48 hours from the close of
nominations, and that candidate is elected unopposed [Section 19 (1) of PEA].
2. Where, as a result of withdrawal of other candidates for election, there remains only one
candidate, the Returning Officer will immediately declare the remaining candidate elected
unopposed [Section. 20 of PEA].
17.0 SOME OFFENCES UNDER THE ACT
17.1 A person who forges a certificate purporting to be issued by the National Council for
Higher Education or utters a forged certificate commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and forty currency points equivalent to Ug.
Shs. 4,800,000/= (Four million eight hundred thousand shillings only) or imprisonment
not exceeding ten years or both [Section 5, of PEA].
17.2 A person who forges any academic certificate for the purpose of nomination for any
election or utters such forged certificate commits an offence and is liable on conviction
to a fine not exceeding two hundred and forty currency points equivalent to Ug. Shs.
4,800,000/= (Four million eight hundred thousand shillings only) [Section 5, of PEA].
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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17.3 A candidate who does not comply with the law on use of convoy of vehicles and
Government resources under S.10 (14) PEA commits an offence and is liable to a
fine not exceeding twenty-four currency points equivalent to Ug. Sh. 480,000/=
(four hundred and eighty thousand shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding one year
or both.
Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon
CHAIRPERSON, ELECTORAL COMMISSION
PEA - The Presidential Elections Act, Cap. 179; ECA - The Electoral Commission Act, Cap 176; PPOA - Political Parties and Organisations Act, Cap. 178;
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