PS Reminds Public Servants on Resignation Deadlines for Political Post Aspirants

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government has advised public servants aspiring to join elective positions to observe resignation and retirement timelines ahead of nominations.

According to the Electoral Commission road map, the nomination of candidates for Parliamentary Elections will take between 16th – 17th September 2025 and Local Government elections, the nomination will occur between 3rd– 12th September 2025.

Ahead of nominations and party primaries, aspirants for seats, including Public servants, have already embarked on campaigns to win support from constituents.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya,  has written to District Chief Administrative Officers and Town Clerks asking them to remind their staff to observe the resignation and retirement timelines ahead of nomination dates.

Kumumanya said that section 4(4) of the Parliamentary Elections Act. 2005, stipulates that under the Multiparty Political System, a public officer or person employed in any Government Department or Agency, or an employee of a Local Government or anybody in which Government has a Controlling Interest, who wishes to stand for elections as Member of Parliament shall resign from his or her office atleast ninety days before nomination day.

Kumumanya adds that for the Local Council Office, Section 116(4 and 5) of the Local Governments Act Cap. 138 provides that those who intend to contest shall resign his or her office atleast thirty days before nomination by the procedure of service or employment to which he or she belong.

“In line with the above, this is to guide you to take note of the Election Road Map, by the Electoral Commission, to comply with the Resignation and Retirement timeliness as stipulated”, Kumumanya wrote in his circular dated April 17th,2025.

He ordered the officers to circulate the information to all their respective Staff.

“The purpose of this communication is to forward to you the above guidance for your urgent action and management accordingly,” Kumumanya said in the circular.

According to the Electoral Commission, public servants seeking to contest for an MP seat should resign before 13th June 2025, whereas for local governments, the deadline is 2nd August 2025.

The civil servants in local governments intending to contest for elective positions are supposed to apply to the Public Service Ministry through the town clerks and Chief Administrative Officers. 

In February 2024, the Court of Appeal in Kampala ordered the Abim District LCV Chairperson, Yuventine Omara, to vacate office after he was elected when he was still a serving Officer in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.

The court also ordered that John De West Ariko, who contested against Omara as an Independent candidate, is declared the winner of the election and take office with immediate effect.