The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced a nationwide programme for the election of delegates representing non-unionised workers, setting August 2025 as a key stage in the electoral roadmap for the 2025/2026 General Elections.
In a statement issued on July 18, EC Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said the exercise will be conducted at sub-county, district, and regional levels, with the elected delegates forming part of the Electoral College that votes for Workers’ Representatives in the next Parliament.
Byabakama explained that non-unionised workers are individuals who offer services in exchange for pay, hold a valid work identity card, but are not members of any registered labour union.
The elections will begin on August 5, 2025, with Sub-county, City Division, and Municipal Division conferences, where each unit will elect ten delegates — at least three of whom must be women — to represent them at the district level.
At the district conferences scheduled for August 7, 2025, ten delegates will again be elected per district under the same gender requirement.
The process will culminate in regional conferences on August 25, 2025, to be held across Uganda’s four traditional regions — Northern, Eastern, Central, and Western. From each region, ten delegates will be elected to join unionised workers’ representatives in forming the Electoral College for the election of Workers’ Members of Parliament, which is scheduled between January 12 and February 9, 2026.
To qualify as a candidate, one must be:
- A Ugandan citizen aged 18 years and above
- A registered voter
- A holder of a valid employment ID
- Not affiliated to any labour union
Nominations will be made orally during the conferences. Each nominee must have a proposer and two seconders. Voting will be by lining up behind candidates, beginning with the election of the three mandatory female delegates.
Justice Byabakama emphasized that the elected individuals will not take on official leadership roles such as chairperson or secretary. Instead, “they will only be designated as delegates for their respective levels.”
The Commission urged all eligible non-unionised workers to participate actively, stressing that their involvement is vital to ensure full representation of workers’ interests in Parliament.
