NUP In Panic Mode! Bobi Wine Faces Disqualification From Presidential Race, EC Reveals Why!

By Our Reporter

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised the alarm over what it calls a looming electoral crisis, warning that its presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu — popularly known as Bobi Wine — risks being locked out of the 2026 presidential race.

Party Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya told reporters on Friday that the Electoral Commission (EC) had informed NUP that it failed to submit the minimum number of signatures required to support Bobi Wine’s nomination.

“This is very serious. We have just been told that our signatures are not enough. This means that as of now, only President Museveni and a few other aspirants have been cleared to proceed,” Rubongoya said, describing the development as “deeply worrying.”

The revelation comes just days before the September 23–24 nomination window, leaving NUP scrambling to salvage its presidential bid.

Rubongoya explained that despite submitting more than the legally required 100 signatures from at least 98 districts, the party had been kept in the dark for weeks about the status of its verification process.

“We have been pushing the Commission every day for updates so we could proceed with paying nomination fees. Instead, we are now being told — at the last minute — that our tally is insufficient,” he said.

The NUP leadership accuses the EC of using a controversial verification process, which includes calling signatories to confirm their support — a move Rubongoya claims is exposing supporters to intimidation from state security agencies.

“We have told the country that DPCs, DISOs, and GISOs have been intimidating people who signed for us. Now the EC’s method is playing into those hands,” Rubongoya alleged.

According to the official electoral roadmap, all presidential aspirants must submit complete documentation and meet pre-nomination requirements between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the scheduled nomination days at the EC headquarters in Lubowa, Wakiso District.

Rubongoya said NUP expects the Commission to release a detailed report specifying which districts have gaps so that the party can mobilize and fill them before the deadline.

“This is not just about NUP — this is about democracy in Uganda. We are going to do everything possible to ensure that our candidate is on the ballot,” he vowed.

With the clock ticking and political temperatures rising, NUP’s next move could determine whether Bobi Wine remains in the 2026 presidential race or is forced to watch from the sidelines.