The Electoral Commission has released the programme for the upcoming elections of delegates for Non-unionised Workers, ahead of the 2025/2026 General Elections. This is an important opportunity for workers who are not part of any labour union to have their voices heard and choose leaders to represent them. A non-unionised worker is someone who works for pay and holds a valid employment identity card but is not affiliated with any labour union.
The process begins with the Minister responsible for Workers bringing together willing non-unionised workers at every Sub County, City Division, or Municipal Division Headquarters across Uganda. These workers will nominate their delegates, while the Electoral Commission will organize and oversee the elections to ensure a fair and transparent process.
The first step in this process is the Sub County Delegates Conference, scheduled for Tuesday, 5th August 2025. Here, at each Sub County or City Division headquarters, workers will elect ten delegates, with at least three of these delegates being women. These delegates will then move forward to the City or District Delegates Conference, set for Thursday, 7th August 2025. This conference will also take place at each City or District headquarters and run from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Ten delegates, including at least three women, will be chosen to represent their areas at the Regional Non-unionised Workers Delegates’ Conference.
The Regional Conferences will take place on Monday, 25th August 2025, in Uganda’s four traditional regions: Northern, Eastern, Central, and Western. During these conferences, ten delegates will be elected from each region. These delegates will join their counterparts from unionized workers to form the Electoral College. This group will be responsible for electing Members of Parliament who represent workers at the national level.
To participate in these important delegate conferences, workers must meet certain requirements. They must be Ugandan citizens aged 18 years or older, registered voters, and employed workers with valid employment identity cards. Most importantly, they must not be members of any labour union.
The Electoral Commission has provided clear guidelines for the conferences. They will start at 7:00 am, and nominations will be made orally by a proposer and two seconders. Voting will be done by lining up behind the chosen candidate, beginning with filling the three spots reserved for women delegates at each level. It’s important to note that the ten delegates elected at each level will serve as representatives only; they will not hold specific positions such as Chairperson or Secretary.
Finally, the ten delegates from each region will participate in the National Delegates Conference, where the Members of Parliament representing workers will be elected. This conference will take place sometime between 12th January and 9th February 2026, with dates to be announced by the Electoral Commission.
Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, calls on all eligible non-unionised workers to take part in these elections. He urges them to show up in large numbers and exercise their constitutional right to elect leaders who will represent their interests at all levels. This election programme is a vital chance for non-unionised workers to be heard and to shape the future of workers’ representation in Uganda.
