7 new political parties in the offing ahead of 2026 elections
The names of each of the political parties, slogans and symbols were reserved before the promoters were tasked to collect signatures around the country and return the lists to the EC for verification. PHOTO | FILE | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- These include the National Foundation Party, National Revival Coalition, National Agrarian Party, People Power Front, Shine Uganda, Uganda Prosperity Party, and National Economic and Redemption Party.
Seven groups have applied for registration as political parties at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ahead of the 2026 general elections.
These include the National Foundation Party, National Revival Coalition, National Agrarian Party, People Power Front, Shine Uganda, Uganda Prosperity Party, and National Economic and Redemption Party.
The names of each of the political parties, slogans and symbols were reserved before the promoters were tasked to collect signatures around the country and return the lists to the IEC for verification.
Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the spokesman of the IEC said they received applications from the seven parties, reserved their names, slogans and symbols, and they were given the go-ahead to collect signatures as the law requires of them.
“Currently, we have 26 fully registered political parties. The seven groups/promoters reserved names and obtained clearance to go around the country to get signatures between June 2023 and April 2024,” Mr Mucunguzi said yesterday.
If the seven parties are fully registered, it will bring the number of political parties in Uganda to 33.
Mr John Katumba, the former independent presidential candidate, reserved the name of his party, National Revival Coalition (NRC) on September 27, 2023, and he was expected to return the list of signatures in four months to the IEC.
Mr Katumba yesterday said his supporters are processing the establishment of a political party but he declined to divulge details about it “for now”.
“I will arrange and talk to you when it (party) is ready. [I]EC is aware of what we are doing,” Mr Katumba said.
He said the delay in registering his party was due to errors made by the IEC while verifying the signatures of the party’s supporters.
One of the leaders of the People Power Front party, whose name was reserved in December last year, said yesterday that they are still in the process of collecting signatures.
Using the mobile phone of Mr Achilles Spartan Mukagyi, the promoter of the People Power Front party, the leader promised to get back to us for a party position, but he didn’t.
The promoter of Uganda Prosperity Party, Ms Judith Grace Amoit, declined to comment on the progress the party is making to return the signatures of supporters.
Mr Asadullah Ssemindi, the promoter of the National Economic and Redemption Party, said they are not yet ready with the processes that the IEC told them to undertake.
“The party is still in the process. Many things aren’t yet done. We shall call you when we are ready,” Mr Ssemindi said.
The president of Shine Uganda party, Mr Patrick Henry Schweri, said they still have more than four months to submit their signatures to the IEC and they would do it within the speculated time.
News of the seven political parties in the offing coincides with media reports that the four-time former presidential candidate, Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye is being fronted as the leader of a new political formation by supporters of a Forum for Democratic Change faction. However, by press time last evening, it was not clear whether the proposed formation is among the seven that have applied for registration ahead of the 2026 general elections.
