GUIDELINES FOR NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION OF YOUTH
COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES, 2025
Our Ref: EMT 19/01 Date: 25th March, 2025
1.0 Introduction
These guidelines shall apply to the nomination of candidates for election to Youth Committees and
Councils from Village/Cell to District/City/Kampala Capital City Authority levels.
2.0 Laws applicable
(a) The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995;
(b) Electoral Commission Act [ECA], Cap. 176;
(c) National Youth Council Act [NYCA], Cap. 114;
(d) The Political Parties and Organisations Act [PPOA], Cap. 178;
(e) The Kampala Capital City Authority Act [KCCA], Cap 195;
(f) The National Youth Councils and Committees (Elections) Regulations, 2011; and
(g) Attendant Rules, Regulations and Guidelines that may be made from time to time.
3.0 Definition of Youth
Youth means a person between the age of eighteen and thirty years.
4.0 Levels at which elections shall be held.
These guidelines shall apply to the nomination of candidates for election of members of Youth
Councils/Committees at the following levels:-
4.1 Village/Cell;
4.2 Parish/Ward;
4.3 Sub-County/Town/Municipal Division;
4.4 Municipality/City Division;
4.5 District/City; and
4.6 Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)
5.0 Composition and Hierarchy of Youth Councils (Electoral Colleges)
5.1 A village/cell youth council shall consist of youths who reside in the village/cell and who are
willing to be members of the village/cell youth council.
5.2 A parish/ward youth council shall consist of all the members of the village youth executive
committees in the parish/ward.
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5.3 A Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division youth council shall consist of:
i) All members of the parish/ward youth executive committees in the Sub-county/Town/
Municipal Division.
ii) One youth with disability nominated by organisations of persons with disabilities in the Sub-
county/Town/Municipal Division.
5.4 The voting members of the district youth council shall consist of:
(a) The Chairperson of every Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division and Municipality youth
council within a district.
(b) The Secretary for Women Affairs of every Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division and
Municipality youth council within a district.
(c) The Secretary responsible for Finance of every Sub-county/Town/Municipal Division
and Municipality youth council within a district.
(d) One youth with disability nominated by organisations of persons with disabilities in the
district.
(e) Two student representatives nominated by the Uganda National Students’ Association in
the district, one of whom shall be female.
5.5 The Kampala City Youth Council (electoral college) shall consist of:
(i) the Chairperson, Secretary for Women affairs and Secretary responsible for Finance of
every City Division within the city.
(b) One youth with disability nominated by organisations of persons with disabilities in
Kampala city.
(c) Two student representatives nominated by the Uganda National Students’ Association in
Kampala city, one of whom shall be female.
6.0 Composition of Youth Committees (Elective Offices)
There is established in respect of each Youth Council a Youth Committee with the following elective
offices:-
(a) Chairperson;
(b) Vice Chairperson;
(c) General Secretary;
(d) Publicity Secretary;
(e) Secretary for Female Youth who should be a female;
(f) Secretary for Students’ Affairs who shall be a student;
(g) Secretary for Labour Affairs;
(h) Secretary for Sports and Culture; and
(i) Secretary for Finance.
The members of the Youth Committee shall be elected by members of the Youth Council from among
their number.
7.0 Nomination of Candidates for Election as Members of Youth Committees
7.1 Appointment of Nomination Days, Places and Time
The Electoral Commission shall publish in the Gazette and the local media a nomination day(s)
and time when candidates who wish to stand for election at youth councils and committees
shall be nominated.
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7.2 Qualification of Candidates for Election as Members of Youth Committees
A person shall not qualify for election as a member of a Youth Executive Committee unless
that person:
(a) is a citizen of Uganda;
(b) a registered voter in the Youth Council Register;
(c) has attained the age of eighteen years and a person shall not be eligible to be so
elected in a youth committee if he/she has attained the age of thirty years;
(d) ordinarily resides in the village/cell (for village/cell elections); and
(e) is a member of the youth council for which the youth committee is being elected (i.e a
registered voter in the youth council register).
7.3 Nomination Procedure
(a) Nomination of candidates for election to village/cell, parish/ward, Sub-county/Town/
Municipal Division youth councils shall be conducted at Sub-county/Town/Municipal
Division level.
(b) Nomination of candidates for election to Municipality/City Division youth committees
shall be conducted at Municipality/City Division level.
(c) Nomination of candidates for election to District/City/KCCA and youth committees shall
be conducted at District/City/KCCA level.
(d) The nomination of candidates for election to an office in the youth committee shall be
made by the candidate himself/herself submitting to the Returning Officer a duly filled
nomination paper on nomination day.
(e) The nomination paper shall be signed by the candidate and seconded by two registered
youth voters in the village/cell.
(f) A person shall not subscribe to more than one nomination paper, and no person shall
second more than one candidate for the same office.
(g) The nomination of candidates may be made by a political party or organisation sponsoring
a candidate or by a person standing for election as an independent candidate without
being sponsored by a political organisation or political party.
(h) A political party or organisation shall not sponsor more than one candidate for a given
office.
(i) Where only one candidate is nominated at the close of nomination, the person nominated
shall be declared elected unopposed.
(j) Where at the close of nomination no person is duly nominated for election to an office,
the Returning Officer shall report to the Commission that no candidate was nominated.
N.B. i) No nomination fee is required for nomination of candidates to any
of the Youth Committees.
ii) No academic qualifications are required for nomination of candidates
to any of the Youth Committees.
7.4 Allocation of Symbols
The Commission shall:
(a) allocate to each candidate the symbol of his/her political party or organisation in the case of a
candidate who is sponsored by a political party or organisation.
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(b) allocate to a candidate who is not sponsored by a political party or organisation a symbol
chosen by him/her.
(c) A symbol under (b) shall be chosen and assigned from among the following symbols approved
by the Commission for purposes of the election.
BALL BICYCLE CHAIR CLOCK RADIO
KETTLE CUP POT SAUCE PAN TABLE
N.B. Independent candidates must ensure that they have selected and have been allocated
symbols before leaving the nomination venue. This will be done by the candidate signing
against the selected symbol on the Nomination Control Form
7.5 Schedule for Nomination of Candidates at Parish/Ward, Sub-County/Town/
Municipal Division, Municipality/City Division and District/City/KCCA Levels
(a) Nomination of candidates for election of Parish/Ward Youth Committees shall be
conducted after the Village/Cell elections.
(b) Nomination of candidates for election of Sub County/Town/Municipal Division and
Municipality/City Division Youth Committees shall be conducted after the Parish/Ward
elections.
(c) Nomination of candidates for election of District/City/KCCA Youth Committees shall be
conducted after the Sub County/Town/Municipal Division Youth Committee elections.
8.0 Withdrawal of Candidates
(a) A candidate may withdraw his/her candidature at any time before polling day by a written
notice addressed to the Returning Officer and signed by the candidate, witnessed by two
registered members of the respective college.
(b) Where a candidate is sponsored by a political party, the withdrawal shall be endorsed by the
Political Party.
9.0 Campaigns
The Electoral Commission shall publish in the Gazette the campaign period for candidates seeking to
be elected to the respective Youth Councils and Committees.
Justice By
Byabakama
yabakama Mugenyi S
Simon
CHAIRPERSON, ELECTORAL COMMISSION
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