The National Unity Platform (NUP) is grappling with a wave of petitions from aspiring local government candidates, many of whom are questioning the party’s recent vetting process.
Complaints range from alleged bribery and incompetence to mismatched candidate information and incorrect area allocations.
In response, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya announced on Friday the creation of a dedicated task force to review all petitions.
The team includes Dr. Moses Kanabi, head of the Organizing Committee; Jonathan Elotu, Head of Legal Affairs; his deputy Jacqueline Namata; and party lawyer Marvin Sasi, all operating under the supervision of Deputy Secretary General Aisha Kabanda.
The move comes after the party published its official list of vetted candidates for the upcoming local government elections. Many aspirants excluded from the list have alleged irregularities, claiming some individuals secured party tickets through bribery despite limited grassroots support.
Since Saturday, the disgruntled aspirants have been submitting formal petitions to NUP headquarters, requesting a fresh vetting process ahead of the Electoral Commission’s nomination deadline on Wednesday.
Rubongoya also addressed complaints from successful candidates who discovered technical errors in the list, including name discrepancies and incorrect area assignments.
“For instance, in some petitions, we have individuals who have provided evidence that certain candidates who were given tickets had defected to NRM, fearing they wouldn’t secure the tickets. Such petitions are being given attention, and those individuals will be removed from our database,” Rubongoya said.
He further attributed many of the errors to recent Electoral Commission changes, including polling station adjustments and area demarcations, which disrupted the party’s data systems.
“Some aspirants contested in one area but found themselves listed in another, while others had discrepancies with their names. Our initial plan was significantly impacted by the Electoral Commission’s recent demarcation changes, particularly in Kampala, where many contesting areas were consolidated or altered. As a result, some individuals were vetted for areas that no longer exist,” Rubongoya explained.
The task force is now tasked with resolving the petitions before the nomination process, ensuring that all aspirants have an accurate and fair opportunity to contest under the NUP banner.
