Presidential aspirant Dr. Milton Muto has accused the Electoral Commission of deliberately excluding him from the 2026 race, alleging that the move undermines democracy and silences the will of Ugandans.
Addressing journalists and supporters at Lweeza Training and Conference Centre Dr. Muto — a research scientist from Koboko District — said he had met the nomination requirements but was unfairly barred from contesting.
He claimed to have submitted over 18,000 signatures from at least 101 districts, which, according to him, exceeded the threshold.
“On the 24th of September, the dream of a free and dignified Uganda was tested and smashed,” Muto declared. “The Electoral Commission sought to silence the voice of ordinary Ugandans and reduce democracy to a shadow of its promise. But we will not be silenced. Our struggle is unstoppable.”
Muto described the Commission’s grounds for his disqualification as “shallow, shaky, and unjustified,” adding that the decision highlighted “a reckless disregard for the sovereignty, integrity, and coherence of the nation.”
In a wide-ranging speech, he linked his exclusion to broader national struggles, citing the plight of farmers, teachers, doctors, security personnel, fishermen, and unemployed youth.
He also condemned what he called unfair taxation policies that weaken local businesses while favoring foreign investors.
“This election is about the youth who wake up every day without hope, the mothers who take their children to hospitals that have become death traps, and the teachers whose profession has been reduced to a battlefield,” he said.
“It is about soldiers risking their lives in foreign missions with no benefit to Ugandans, and fishermen denied their rights to the lakes that sustained their livelihoods.”
Despite his disqualification, Dr. Muto vowed to continue mobilizing, framing his movement as a fight for justice, democracy, and national dignity. He urged Ugandans to remain calm but resolute, and called on the media to “be the flickering candle of hope in the darkness.”
“Our dream is unshakable,” he insisted. “We shall not bow to wickedness. Together we are unstoppable.”
The Electoral Commission has yet to issue a detailed response to Dr. Muto’s accusations.
His announcement adds to growing tensions as the country heads toward the 2026 general elections.