Bobi Wine Nomination Conundrum: NUP claims EC obstruction as it returns to the field to look for fresh signatures from supporters in affected districts

Upon verification of the names, voter numbers/national ID numbers and other particulars that you submitted, it has been established that out of the submitted lists for 130 districts, only 80 districts had the required number, and the remaining 18 had less than the required number, as per the attached details of the verification results, Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and returning officer for the nomination of candidates for presidential elections, wrote to the National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu in a letter dated 19th September 2023.

The EC added, “In effect, you have not complied with the requirement under Section 10 (1) (b) and (3) of the Presidential Elections Act, Cap 177. Please be reminded that the nomination of presidential candidates shall be concluded on 24th September, 2025.”

The letter and its content dealt NUP a big blow as it was gearing up for the nomination of their party member Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine, on 23rd September 2025, who, for the second time, is attempting to unseat President Yoweri Museveni from State House through the democratic ballot vote.

Justice Byabakama’s letter didn’t sit well with Bobi Wine, who addressed the EC’s “incompetence and partiality” after receiving the letter “past 6:00pm” Friday evening, 19th September 2023. “If we had not exposed the scheme earlier, they were probably planning to inform us officially on Monday, just a few hours to our nomination on Tuesday 23rd.”

Bobi Wine then ‘demanded for a complete report showing which signatures were accepted and those which were rejected.’ He further claimed that the EC won’t say which signatures were eliminated ‘because they know what they’re doing is wrong. They know that we submitted more than enough signatures but are just trying to frustrate us.’ He added, “These are signs that the regime is scared of the protest vote. We shall submit more signatures tomorrow [Saturday] and in the coming days and see what more excuses they present.”

Bobi Wine claimed that after submitting the necessary signatures, the Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and other security apparatus reached out to all people who signed for NUP and intimidated and threatened them.

“Then the EC says it called them, and they denied having signed for us and therefore removed them from the list. “Criminals!” “If you are a registered voter and your National Identity Card indicates that you are a voter in the following Districts [affected districts], please come to the National Unity Platform Headquarters at Makerere-Kavule tomorrow between 8:00am and 11:00am and give us that signature! Our nomination is on Tuesday, 23rd September, 2025.”

The National Unity Platform on 18th September 2025 informed the public that they intended to hold two public rallies after the nomination of Bobi Wine. “We notified Uganda Police and the Electoral Commission about our intention to hold two public rallies immediately after the nomination of our presidential candidate, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert.”

“The first rally will be held at Katwe Grounds and the second at Kaala Playground in Nateete. We are aware that Museveni and his people will be holding their post-nomination rally in Kololo and hope the police will not act criminally and seek to interfere with our activities!”