Veteran journalist and aspiring Member of Parliament for Butambala County, Eriasa Mukibi Sserunjogi, has cast doubt on the suitability of some individuals who have expressed interest in running for Uganda’s highest office.
Speaking during NBS Morning Breeze on Friday, Sserunjogi said that while at least 138 people have so far picked up presidential nomination forms, not all of them will qualify to contest, and many appear more like entertainers than serious political contenders.
“We are just talking about the expression of interest, but we are not even sure that each of those people who picked up the forms even qualifies for the Presidency,” he said.
Sserunjogi argued that age and experience matter in leadership, particularly for the presidency, adding that candidates below 35 years may lack the depth of life experience required to lead the country.
“I believe that if you are below 35, you haven’t seen enough for people to consider you to be President of the country,” he stated.
He further noted that among those who have picked forms are individuals just above 20 years old, some who have only recently completed high school, and others who lack minimal education struggling to express themselves in English, a situation he believes undermines the seriousness of the presidential race.
His comments come amid growing public debate over the influx of presidential hopefuls, with critics warning that the trend risks trivializing the political process and distracting from serious discussions about Uganda’s future.