The president of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta has petitioned the Electoral Commission seeking reinstatement in the 2026 presidential race.
Only eight presidential candidates were successfully nominated by the Electoral Commission by the end of the exercise on Wednesday.
Addressing journalists on Friday, Kabuleta said it is appalling that despite presenting all the necessary requirements for nomination, his bid was kicked out.
He said whereas he submitted his signatures endorsing his candidature from 98 districts as required by law on September, 12, 2025, they were rejected and on insistence, his team was received.
“Unfortunately, the returning officer of the nomination of candidates for presidential elections only wrote back to us on September,19, 2025, informing me that I had not complied with Section 10(1) (b) of the Presidential Elections Act, Cap 177. However, the said letter was not delivered until after 9 pm on the evening of the same day, after the official working hours, and was only actually brought to my attention on September,20, 2025, which was a weekend,” Kabuleta said.
He noted that he later gathered more signatures in excess of the required number and submitted but noted that officials further queried signatures from eight districts.
According to Kabuleta, at the end of the day, his bid was thrown out on account of lack of the requisite signatures but says everything done was a sham.
“The process was tainted by the sheer incompetence of the officials of the Electoral Commission, an unthinkable lack of professionalism, a lack of transparency in the process of verification of signatures, and, in our case as a party, instances of sabotage and influence peddling from bad elements claiming to be members of the party,”Kabuleta said, adding that the blocking of certain candidates was deliberate.
He has asked the EC to review of the process of nomination, approve the submitted signatures, and issue a certificate of clearance to his candidature.
“My prayers are for the extension of the timeline to nominate the aspirant, Kabuleta Joseph Kiiza, conduct verification of signatures submitted in a transparent manner reflective of a legitimate, free, fair, and just process.”
According to Kabuleta, if EC fails to respond to his request, he is ready to challenge its decisions in courts of law to ensure he is reinstated in the presidential race.
