By The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially opened the campaign period for the 2026 Parliamentary and Local Government elections, urging candidates and political parties to conduct peaceful, lawful, and issue-based campaigns.
Speaking at the EC headquarters in Kampala on Monday, Deputy Spokesperson Paul Bukenya said the campaign period, which starts today, marks a crucial phase in the run-up to next year’s general elections.
“Today, Monday, 10th November 2025, marks the beginning of the period for conducting campaign meetings for Parliamentary and Local Government Council elections 2026,” Bukenya announced.
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He revealed that a total of 2,025 candidates were nominated to contest for the 353 directly elected parliamentary seats, while 640 candidates are vying for the 146 district and city woman representative positions. In addition, 521 candidates were successfully nominated for the 146 district and city chairperson seats.
In total, 83,597 candidates are contesting for 45,505 elective positions, ranging from President to Subcounty Councillor, making it one of Uganda’s largest electoral exercises to date.
Bukenya emphasized that all campaign activities must strictly adhere to harmonised campaign programmes agreed upon by candidates in each constituency and approved by returning officers in consultation with security agencies.
“Campaign meetings shall only be held in accordance with the harmonised campaign programme and within the stipulated time, that is, from 7:00am to 6:00pm,” he said. “Candidates, their agents and supporters must ensure that campaign meetings do not go beyond 6:00pm.”
The EC also cautioned candidates against the use of defamatory, inciting, or violent language, urging them to promote tolerance and unity throughout the campaign period.
“We are calling on all candidates, political parties, and their supporters to refrain from using language that incites hatred, public disorder, or violence,” Bukenya said. “We want to achieve a peaceful and orderly campaign period.”
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all candidates are given equal opportunity to reach voters under a secure and transparent environment.
Security agencies, together with returning officers, have been directed to work closely to guarantee safety during the campaigns, especially in hotspot areas identified during the nomination process.
The 2026 General Elections will see Ugandans elect leaders at all levels, including the President, Members of Parliament, and Local Government representatives, in what the EC has described as a critical test of Uganda’s democratic process.
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