Following the Electoral Commission’s announcement for all aspiring presidential candidates to pick nomination papers, Mr. Rugiirwa Katatumba, one of the candidates, has picked the nomination papers from the EC offices.
While speaking to journalists recently, the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama said that while other candidates have upto 30 days to submit signatures of at least 100 signatures, he mandated aspiring independents to provide sufficient proof of their Ugandan citizenship.
During the launch of his candidature, Mr Rugiirwa said that “As a proud Ugandan citizen, I, Rugiirwa Katatumba, am honored to announce my candidacy for President of the Republic of Uganda. I possess the leadership skills, vision, and dedication required to drive Uganda’s prosperity.”
Justice Simon Byabakama
Byabakama said that aspiring presidential candidates have 30 days to collect at least 100 signatures from supporters in 98 districts of Uganda to support their candidacy. Unlike previous elections, where aspirants would submit signatures on nomination day, this time around, all presidential aspirants are required to submit the signatures to the commission within two weeks leading up to the nomination dates of September 23rd and 24th.
“Independent presidential aspirants should provide sufficient proof of their Ugandan citizenship and voter registration status. This measure aims to verify the eligibility of individuals seeking to run for office. All presidential aspirants must submit their collected signatures from each district to the commission, two weeks before nomination day, at our new home in Lweza. This allows us sufficient time to verify the authenticity of the signatures and confirm whether the signatories are registered voters in those districts,” he said
He added that presidential aspirants will collect nomination forms in person or by agents to enable the Commission to properly document aspirants and notify relevant authorities to prevent potential obstructions.
Rugirwa Katatunba during the launch
