As Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections, the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) is deep in the process of identifying candidates to carry its flag across various elective positions.
But unlike the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which holds open party primaries, NUP uses an internal process—one that many Ugandans still find unclear.
So, how does NUP choose its candidates?
All selection activities are handled by the NUP’s Election Management Committee (EMC), which is currently stationed at the party’s headquarters in Makerere-Kavule. The committee is responsible for verifying, vetting, and endorsing candidates who express interest in contesting under the party’s banner.
Three-Step Candidate Selection Process
According to NUP Secretary-General David Lewis Rubongoya, the party follows a three-pronged method to evaluate aspiring candidates:
Vetting
This is the first and most crucial phase. Candidates must respond to a detailed set of questions designed to assess their:
Commitment to the struggle (evidence of participation in party activities)
Involvement in challenging the NRM regime
Understanding of party ideology and loyalty to NUP leadership
Use of party symbols and consistent identification with the movement
Candidates are scored based on their answers, and only those with strong alignment to the party’s values make it past this stage.
Public Debate
In some constituencies, particularly competitive ones, candidates may participate in community debates or town halls where locals assess their communication skills, ideas, and leadership ability.
Ground Survey
The final leg involves gathering feedback from constituents to determine the candidate’s popularity and grassroots support. This helps ensure that the person endorsed by the party actually resonates with voters.
Qualities NUP Looks For
Beyond ideological commitment, NUP also assesses a candidate’s:
Leadership experience
Public speaking and assertiveness
Understanding of the position being contested
Ability to mobilise resources and meet campaign logistics
What About Transparency?
Rubongoya insists that the process is transparent, noting that the party has even denied tickets to individuals close to the leadership. For instance, when Eddie Yawe, the brother of party president Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), expressed interest in contesting for the Kira Municipality MP seat, the party awarded the ticket to another candidate deemed more suitable.
“Whatever method you use, people will always complain. That’s politics,” Rubongoya said. He dismissed claims that the card is being used to silence dissent or control members, stating that “anyone who engages with the process will be judged fairly.”
Is NUP Committed to Democracy Without Primaries?
Critics have questioned whether NUP can champion democracy while not holding open primaries.
Rubongoya responded by saying that NUP is deeply committed to democratic principles but is also cautious not to fall into the traps that have weakened other opposition parties.
He argued that even primary elections often spark disputes and accusations. “Even if we used lining-up like NRM or LCI elections, people would still find reasons to complain,” he added.
What’s Changing?
NUP has already amended its constitution to introduce a hybrid model that combines both vetting and party primaries. However, the new constitution is on hold, pending a legal challenge by former party leaders.
“We amended our constitution in 2023, and it was gazetted in January 2024,” Rubongoya explained. “But the Electoral Commission hasn’t implemented it because it’s currently being challenged in court. Until that is resolved, we are still using the constitution we inherited from Kibalama, which only provides for vetting.”
In Summary:
NUP’s candidate selection process is deliberately designed to prioritise loyalty, competence, and public appeal, with a structured vetting and community feedback model. While open primaries are not yet part of the process, the party says reforms are already in motion—pending legal clearance—to give its members more direct involvement in choosing flag bearers.
