Fred Mukasa Mbidde, the Vice President of the Democratic Party, has said the record number of Ugandans seeking to contest for the presidency is less about political ambition and more a sign of frustration with a governance system that many feel has failed them.

Speaking on NBS Eagle on Sunday, Mbidde argued that most individuals collecting presidential nomination forms are driven by disillusionment rather than structured political plans.

"The majority of the people picking presidential nomination forms are simply victims of the system," he said.

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"Ugandans are dissatisfied with the existing systems and have sought the presidency to fight poverty and other issues affecting the ordinary Ugandan. People are using the presidency as something to get out of their current situation."

Mbidde added that the ruling government's negligence has made some Ugandans believe that the presidency is easily attainable.

"When leadership is trivialised, citizens begin to imagine it is an easy task. That is why many now feel they can also give it a shot."

His comments come as the Electoral Commission (EC) grapples with an unprecedented number of presidential hopefuls.

At least 162 individuals have so far collected nomination forms--the highest tally in Uganda's electoral history.

To qualify for the ballot, a presidential aspirant must be a Ugandan citizen aged 18 or above, hold at least an Advanced Level Certificate, pay a non-refundable fee of Shs20 million, and secure 100 signatures from at least two-thirds of the country's districts.

While political observers say the surge reflects growing interest in national leadership, history shows that only a small fraction of those who collect nomination forms ultimately return them for formal nomination.