Sam Okiding and nine officers win UPDF seats for Parliament

Ballots inside a military hall locked in the army’s next crop of MPs, turning uniforms and ranks into legislative seats while civilian politics watched from the sidelines.

UPDF seats locked into Parliament

• Uganda Peoples Defence Forces picked ten MPs via its council vote.
• Handled through a Defence Forces Council electoral college.
• Took place at Land Forces Headquarters in Bombo.
• Slots feed directly into the 12th Parliament.

Who ran the election mechanics

• Independent Electoral Commission supervised the entire exercise.
• Simon Mugenyi Byabakama chaired the oversight team.
• Results got read out after the tallying was wrapped.
• Army leadership stayed inside constitutional lanes.

Names that made the cut

• Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding topped the internal vote count.
• Followed by Sam Kavuma and James Mugira.
• Women officers secured three of the seats.
• Air Force, Land Forces, and SFC all represented.

Why the army gets MPs

• The Parliament of Uganda reserves seats for special interest groups.
• Military representation covers defense and security matters.
• Structure keeps soldiers under civilian oversight.
• The same framework covers youth, workers, and persons with disabilities.

Leadership and side events

• President Yoweri Museveni chaired the council as commander-in-chief.
• Chris Magezi spoke for the army after the results landed.
• Three officer cadets got commissioned at the same venue.
• Training backgrounds spanned Sri Lanka and Tanzania.