There was drama at the Electoral Commission (EC) nomination centre in Lweza on Wednesday when police blocked Matthew Mutyaba, a visually impaired presidential hopeful, from accessing the grounds.
Mutyaba, who is among dozens who had expressed interest in contesting the 2026 presidential elections, said he had duly picked nomination forms and demanded an explanation from the EC on why he was left off the nomination schedule.
“I picked the forms and fulfilled the requirements. I want answers,” he told journalists as officers held him back at the checkpoint.
Out of more than 36 aspirants who collected nomination forms, the EC cleared only six candidates to contest. Clutching a thick file of documents, Mutyaba insisted he had been cleared, but he failed to produce the mandatory clearance certificate required for entry into the venue.
He was not alone in his frustration. Outgoing Kampala MP Muhammad Nsereko was among other aspirants reported to have protested their exclusion from the final list. The EC has not publicly explained why several hopefuls, including Mutyaba, were dropped despite having expressed interest in the race.
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