A total of 992 nominated candidates will contest in Uganda's parliamentary elections on February 23, according to the Electoral Commission.

Of the 992 candidates, 799 are competing to represent the 215 constituencies while 193 are to battle it out for 69 district women seats.

Among the candidates, the ruling National Resistance Movement ( NRM) has field the largest number of 275 candidates for both directly elected and district women candidates while the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has nominated 174 candidates.

Other parties which have fielded candidates are the Democratic party with 81 candidates, the Uganda People's Congress with 88, the Justice Forum with nine, the Conservative Party with five, Progressive Alliance Party with two, Action Party with one, Forum for Integrity in Leadership with one, Liberal Democratic Party with one, NRP with one, MVMO with one, IDPT with one, and National Convention for Democracy with one.

There are also 351 independents to compete for the parliament seats.

The next parliament will have a total of 317 seats including representatives from women, workers, disabilities and army compared to the current 295.

Source: Xinhua