Museveni presents 5 million signatures for nomination ahead of 2021

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday received over 5 million signatures from 142 districts, endorsing President Museveni's candidature for the 2021 Presidential election.
Mr Museveni, 76, is the first presidential aspirant to fulfill the requirement to collect at least 100 signatures per district from two thirds of the country’s districts and cities, according to EC.

"These signatures were collected from all the districts of Uganda as per our schedule. We have brought signatures from 142 administrative units and districts because in our party, we treat Kampala divisions as districts. We have over 5 million signatures endorsing our candidate, Yoweri Museveni for nomination. It's now up to EC to verify,” the NRM deputy Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong told journalists in Kampala.

The total number of registered voters for the 2020/2021 General Elections is 17,658,527, according to EC. The number of male voters is 8,439,564 (or 47.79 percent) while the number of female voters is 9,218,963 (or 52.21 percent).
The acting Electoral Commission Secretary, Mr Leonard Mulekwa said they will start verifying the signatures presented by NRM today (October 3, 2020).

According to him, a voter is supposed to endorse only one party or aspiring candidate.

“Each aspiring candidate is supposed to collect 100 signatures from at least two thirds of the cities and districts of Uganda. We shall start the process of verifying the supporters tomorrow (October 3). Each person is supposed to support one party or one aspiring candidate for purposes of nomination. You don't support more than one," Mr Mulekwa.

NRM booked November 2, 2020 to nominate Mr Museveni as a presidential candidate for the 2021 elections.

A letter signed by the party Secretary General, Justine Lumumba and seen by this reporter indicates that she will present the veteran leader before the EC on the said date at 10am.

President Museveni who has been in power since 1986 was recently declared NRM flag bearer unopposed.

Museveni faces stiff competition from the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine who’s lately seen as his biggest critic.

The 38-year-old who hopes to block Museveni’s plan to extend his rule to the fourth decade accuses the veteran leader of overstaying in power.

Other aspirants include former army commander Maj-Gen Mugisha Muntu, who got the ticket to represent a party he recently founded after leaving the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and former journalist-turned preacher Joseph Kabuleta, a rabid critic of President Museveni’s government.

The list also includes former spy chief Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde; Charles Rwomushana, a former operative at the Internal Security Organisation turned-political commentator.

Another notable aspirant is the president of the Democratic Party Norbert Mao who threw his hat into the ring recently during a town hall meeting to discuss “delivering safe and credible elections amidst Covid-19 in Uganda” held at the Kampala Sheraton Hotel. It will be his second attempt.