Among Leads Unopposed Contestants in Pressing EC for Gazetting as MPs of Next Parliament

Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among, alongside several other MPs, is pushing the Electoral Commission (EC) to gazette their unopposed positions ahead of the January 2026 elections. The move is being pursued through a formal request submitted by their lawyers, Alaka and Company Advocates, to EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama. 

The document, dated October 31st, 2025, requests the Commission to publish in the gazette the names of candidates declared elected as Members of Parliament. Besides Speaker Among, the request lists Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Ruhinda North MP Catherine Akumu Mavenjina, the Member of Parliament for Older Persons in Northern Uganda Ruth Rujoki Mushabe, and the Woman MP for Kiruhura district, among others, seeking to be gazetted as legislators for the 12th Parliament (2026–2031).

The electoral body conducted countrywide nominations for directly elected positions and women Members of Parliament on October 22nd and 23rd, 2025. According to the lawyers’ submission, “At the end of the process, the individuals, who are our clients, were the only candidates nominated and were consequently declared elected in their respective constituencies for 2026/2031 by the various returning officers under section 31 (1) (b) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177.”

The EC Security Registry stamped the document as received on Oct 31st, 2025. The request comes as the EC tribunal hears several parliamentary petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants challenging nominations and unopposed declarations. Among these is a petition from Speaker Among’s rival, Norma Susan Otai, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat.

Otai appeared before the tribunal on Tuesday evening, seeking the nullification of Among’s unopposed victory and an extension of the nomination period to allow her to contest in the January 2026 general elections. Her petition stems from her failed nomination on Oct 23rd, 2025, when opposition candidates for the Bukedea Woman MP seat were reportedly barred from the nomination center. She claims that police and electoral officials blocked them and violated their constitutional right to stand for election.

Asked about the gazetting request, EC Spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said the Commission still has time to gazette successful candidates ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 15th January 2026. “The electoral laws relating to nominations of candidates for any elective position anticipate that at the closure of nominations, there may be situations where only one candidate has been successfully nominated and in that case, the returning officer will announce that such a candidate who has been nominated unopposed is the duly elected Member of Parliament, or any other position, effective the date of the elections. In which case, now, it will be effective on 15th January 2026,” Mucunguzi said.

He added that the Commission would, at the appropriate time, gazette the names of unopposed candidates, emphasizing that the electoral body is well aware of its obligations under the law.