The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission has officially announced a call for Expressions of Interest and the picking of nomination forms for party members seeking to contest as NRM flagbearers for Member of Parliament positions in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
The announcement, issued on Monday, marks the beginning of the process to fill two vacant EALA positions for the 2022–2027 term. The vacancies arose following the election of Denis Namara and James Kakooza to the 12th Parliament earlier this year.
Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters in Kampala, the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, Tanga Odoi, outlined the procedures and requirements for interested candidates.
“Following the release of a programme by Parliament announcing a by-election for two Members of Parliament to the East African Legislative Assembly, the NRM Electoral Commission hereby calls for Expressions of Interest and picking of nomination forms for the position of NRM flagbearer,” he said.
Odoi added that eligible party members must submit a written Expression of Interest letter alongside an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the Commission offices located at Plot 13, Kyadondo Road.
Submissions will be accepted starting today and will close on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 5:00 pm. The nomination of candidates is scheduled to take place on the same day, Wednesday, March 25, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 pm.
According to the Commission, candidates seeking to contest in the NRM primaries must meet several minimum requirements. These include being a Ugandan citizen aged 18 years and above, holding at least an Advanced Level (“A” Level) education or its equivalent, and being a registered voter in the national voters’ register.
Additionally, aspirants must be registered members of the NRM party, must not be public servants or members of the armed forces, and must not hold positions as cultural or traditional leaders. Candidates are also required to pay a non-refundable Expression of Interest fee of Shs 2,000,000 to the party’s designated bank account at Centenary Bank, Lugogo branch.
The Commission confirmed that all NRM Members of the 11th Parliament will constitute the electorate for the primaries. A detailed schedule for the actual election of candidates will be announced at a later date.
Beyond the EALA by-election, the NRM Electoral Commission revealed plans to conduct residual elections to fill vacant positions for LC I Chairperson flagbearers and Women Council Committees at the village level. These follow earlier elections conducted in May 2025 and July 2022, respectively.
Primaries for LC II Chairpersons and Women Councils at parish to national levels will be organized after the release of a new electoral programme by the National Electoral Commission.
In the same statement, the Commission congratulated the NRM leadership and members for what it described as a “landslide victory” in the recently concluded 2026 general elections. The party reported strong performance across various electoral categories, including the presidential, parliamentary, and local government races.
The Commission expressed appreciation to party members for their continued support and urged those interested in upcoming positions to begin preparations in line with the announced roadmap.
