The Electoral Commission (EC) has declared Jacqueline Mbabazi — wife of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi — unopposed for the Western Region seat reserved for Older Persons in the 2026 Parliament.
The declaration follows the disqualification of her only challenger, Patrick Kyamukate Mutabwire. According to the EC, Mutabwire failed to meet the legally required minimum of ten supporters on his nomination form, rendering his candidacy invalid.
In a statement after the decision, Jacqueline Mbabazi thanked the Commission and emphasised that the process upheld democratic rules and procedures. She pledged to represent the interests of all older persons in the Western Region — regardless of who supported her — and promised to focus on improved healthcare, social protection, and income security for senior citizens.
Her husband, Amama Mbabazi, also lauded the EC decision, describing it as a legitimate exercise of legal and institutional mandates — and urged that this shift not be treated as a moment of celebration but as a call to duty to protect older people’s rights and dignity.
Under Uganda’s electoral law, when only one valid candidate remains for a special interest group parliamentary seat, that candidate is declared “MP elect” without a public poll.
The EC’s move now secures Mbabazi’s place in the 13th Parliament (2026–2031) as the representative of Western Uganda’s older persons — a demographic she says “built the foundation of this country” and deserves dignity, protection, and concrete support.
