State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Children and Youth Affairs, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, has proposed amendments to Uganda’s presidential nomination process ahead of the 2031 elections.

He suggests increasing the non-refundable nomination fee to 100 million Ugandan shillings to discourage unserious or incompetent candidates.

Currently, under the 2025 presidential election guidelines, any Ugandan citizen by birth aged 18 and above with at least an Advanced Level education or its equivalent and who is a registered voter, can pick nomination forms.

They must also pay a nomination fee of 20 million shillings and collect 9,800 signatures from at least 98 districts across the country.

Certain individuals, however, are disqualified from contesting, including those with mental illness, holders of electoral offices, traditional or cultural leaders, individuals declared bankrupt and not discharged, and those convicted of serious crimes or electoral offenses within the past seven years.

In a proposal shared on social media, Balaam recommends further tightening of the eligibility requirements.

He proposes raising the minimum education qualification to a bachelor’s degree, considering prior national service as an added advantage, and mandating compulsory three-week training at Kyankwanzi for successful applicants.

This training would cover patriotism, leadership, and military drills measures aimed at instilling discipline, promoting national values, and ensuring that only serious and capable individuals contest for the presidency.

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