2026 polls: UPC releases detailed roadmap

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The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) has released a comprehensive roadmap leading to the 2026 national general election, outlining key dates and milestones for the party's internal elections and primaries.

UPC spokesperson Faizo Muzeyi, on behalf of the party electoral commission chairperson Hajji Mahmoud Kazimbiraine, says the party has been working tirelessly to renew its structures across the country, despite logistical constraints.

The roadmap, which was released on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, outlines a series of activities that will take place over the next few months, including the election of village executives, parish executives, sub-county executives and constituency executives.

The party will also hold primaries for local governments and parliamentary positions.

Village executive elections

The party will hold village executive elections on June 30, 2025, in the regions of Acholi, West Nile, Teso, Karamoja, Sebei and Bugisu.

Similar elections will be held in other regions, including Bukeddi, Busoga, Greater Mukono, and Greater Kampala, starting July 7, 2025.

According to Muzeyi, the party is holding these elections in sub-regions due to a few challenges, but they want to ensure that the process is orderly and thorough.

"We want to hold them systematically without leaving any stone unturned," he said.

Party presidential elections

One of the key highlights of the roadmap is the election of the party president, scheduled for July 28, 2025.

District conferences will be held to elect district executives and nominate presidential candidates. Any successful candidate must attain at least one-third of all districts in Uganda, which translates to about 50 districts.

"The real nomination of the party president is at the district level," Muzeyi explained, adding, "The district conferences shall convene and elect the district executive and at the same time nominate the presidential candidates."

Primaries for local governments

The party will also conduct primaries for local governments between July 10-15, 2025, for district chairpersons and city mayors.

The forms for these positions will be picked up in person or by a person appointed by the aspiring candidate at the party headquarters.

Further, the party will conduct primaries for district, municipal, division, and sub-county councillors/municipal or sub-county chairpersons between July 10-15, 2025. The forms for these positions will be picked up at different district/city offices of the party.

Parliamentary primaries

The party will also hold primaries for parliamentary positions between August 8-10, 2025. The forms for these positions will be picked up at the party headquarters from August 10-15, 2025.

According to Muzeyi, the party will apply consensus agreements where possible, but will hold party primaries where there are disagreements.

"In UPC, we have procedures of reaching a candidate, one is by consensus," he said. "Members can sit and agree who can, or who is in the best position to hold the UPC flag and bring the victory back home." He concluded.