NUP Begins Vetting Parliamentary Aspirants for 2026 Elections

NUP Begins Vetting – Kampala, Uganda — The National Unity Platform (NUP) has officially launched its vetting process for parliamentary aspirants ahead of the 2026 general elections Love Radio reports. The exercise began Monday at the party headquarters in Makerere-Kavule, signaling a key step in NUP’s internal selection of candidates for the upcoming polls.

Aspirants from Wakiso, West Nile, and Kigezi were the first to appear before the party’s Electoral Management Committee. Over the course of the week, vetting will move through other regions, including Kampala City, Acholi, Ankole, Greater Masaka, Lango, Toro, Greater Mpigi, Karamoja, and Bunyoro.

The committee chairperson, Harriet Chemutai, has laid out clear criteria for the selection process. The assessment for each aspirant will be divided: 40% of the score comes from performance during vetting, and 60% from grassroots assessments, which include evaluating popularity and political strength at a sub-regional level. Aspirants are required to present their expression of interest forms, national identification, party membership cards, and original or certified academic documents.

NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, emphasized that integrity must guide the process. He cautioned against favouritism and undue influence, calling for aspirants who are genuinely committed to the party’s values of accountability and service.

Some notable observations from the first day include the participation of incumbents and high-profile aspirants. For example, Wakiso District’s Woman MP, Betty Ethel Naluyima, filed for re-election, while others like Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona and challengers such as Emmanuel Magoola Matovu also showed up for vetting.

Amidst the process, concerns have been raised about intimidation. NUP leadership has called for peaceful conduct and protection of aspirants, particularly in light of earlier reports of abductions involving NUP members.

The vetting exercise is scheduled to run daily through September 21, 2025, before the party finalizes its list of parliamentary flag-bearers. According to the Electoral Commission’s roadmap, official candidate nominations are expected to take place in mid-October.

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