14 parties drop out of elections race

Jul 15, 2025 News

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…as supporters of ‘big three’ put on colourful showcase on Nomination Day

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – Fourteen political parties on Monday failed to file nomination papers, thus dropping out of the September 1 elections.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had initially approved the symbols of 19 political parties that expressed an interest in contesting the General and Regional elections. However, only seven of these parties were counted at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown on Nomination Day.

The contingents that were notably absent  included: Unity Movement(UM),  Guyanese for Accountability, Meritocracy, Equality, Reform,  Inclusion and collaboration with America (GAMERICA) , A Guyana National Service Party(AGNSP) , UNITY ONE (U1), Democratic People Party(DPP), All America Alliance For Guyana(AAA4G), Unity Guyana Democratic Party (UGDP), United Workers Party(UWP), Destiny to Oneness (DTO), The Republic Party of Guyana (RPG), Guyana United Party (GUP), People Republic Front(PRF), Citizen’s Unity(CU) and the Unified People of Guyana (UPP).

Nomination Day activities nevertheless proved to be a colourful showcase by supporters of the main political bases in Guyana. Notably, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), A Partnership of National Unity (APNU), We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), drew massive crowds from their support bases as they submitted their lists of candidates.  The Alliance For Change (AFC), The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) and the Horizon and Star party, were among the groups with smaller support bases.

The submission of each party’s candidate list was slated to take place between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Monday. The parties were right on time with their submission- some even arriving earlier than the scheduled time. Supporters from the APNU camp were the first to arrive.  They began assembling along Main Street Avenue enroute to the Umana Yana, at least an hour before the activities were scheduled to start.

 

It’s Norton

Fully decked in their green t-shirts bearing the faces of their Presidential Candidate Aubrey Norton and his running mate, Juretha Fernandes, APNU supporters gathered along the route; they beamed with pride as they spoke of the prospects of their party obtaining victory and seizing the reins of power.  When it drew closer to starting time, the crowd began to swell; more supporters turned up sporting party paraphernalia and waving their flags in support of APNU. By 9:45 am, a notable crowd of supporters had made their way down to the barricade placed on the southern end of the road outside the Umana Yana. The supporters accompanied by a truck blaring music and the party’s theme songs chanted phrases in support of their party. “The PPP must go!” “The cup is cursed!”

Their chants were accompanied by a truck playing loud music and political commentary by a DJ. Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), media personnel and international observers stood beyond the barricade as the crowd grew bigger and louder as drones hovered over the crowds and surrounding environs of the Umana Yana. APNU’s Presidential Candidate and other representatives of the list emerged shortly from among supporters. His appearance was met with chants and cheers. “Norton! Norton!” the crowd shouted.

 

AFC and PPP at the gate

As APNU representatives completed the process of submitting the list, a small group of persons decked in bright yellow emerged at the northern security barricade outside the Uman Yana.  The group represented the AFC contingent. They stood outside for a while as swarms of persons decked in red flooded the southern barricade on the opposite end. The ruling PPP/C had arrived and they were making their presence known. The party’s theme song – a remix of Allison popular tune “togetherness” blared from loud speakers on a big truck. The large crowd of supporters for the PPP/C momentarily stole spotlight from the smaller party contingents that were popping up at the opposite side of the barricades.

The PPP/C’s team was led by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and President Irfaan Ali. The PPP/C oozed confidence as they entered the compound of the Umana Yana. “We are here to submit the winning list,” someone from their camp shouted as they made their way inside. The PPP/C submission of the list was apparently smooth as their representatives were ushered out of the building into the compound shortly after.  The PPP/C leaders briefly spoke to the media before leaving the compound as their supporters shouted “PPP/C all the way to victory!”

The next to submit their list was the AFC; the small group of representatives led by their leader, Nigel Hughes who walked confidently into the Umana Yana to submit the list. Shortly after The Better Must Come team exited the building, the Forward Guyana Movement led by its leader Amanza Walton-Desir, a former executive on the PNCR made their way into the compound. Supporters of this group were decked in purple t-shirts.

Of note, the Forward Guyana Movement candidate, 22-year-old Bibi Feroze said she wants to represent differently-abled persons like herself. Feroze has always been a strong advocate for disabled persons in Guyana but she believes that there is more that can be done. Outside a small group of the party’s supporters echoed a familiar chant of victory. The supporters of the Walton-Desir camp appeared adamant in their stance of a successful elections campaign. Accompanied by a loud speaker, they bellowed a tune about being ready to take Guyana forward.

Broomes

Leader of the ALP, Simona Broomes was heralded by her supporters who were decked navy blue t-shirts. And though her support base was small, they created a stir as they entered the compound. She was carried in arms of one of representatives into the Umana Yana to submit her list. “We are very confident. We are very confident. We are fully confident because we’ve made the list. We came through the process and we will be contesting in six regions, regional and geographical,” she told the media as she exited the building. She vowed that her party will be the voice of the voiceless. As Broomes left, a massive crowd of people in sky blue t-shirts started showing up. These were the supporters of Azruddin Mohamed’s- led WIN party.

 

Blue wave

The massive crowd of possibly thousands more to rival the PPP/C contingent marched from Kitty Seawall along a route that led to the Umana Yana in Kingston. The crowd descended on the location from the northern, southern and eastern sides of the Umana Yana. The crowd blew horns and shouted chants in support of the businessman and his team. Several supporters on motorcycles converged beyond the security barricades as the party’s presidential candidate emerged with his team. Though, he did not give much detail on the party’s plan and policies, Mohamed told media that WIN is a party formed for the people of Guyana. “We are here because of the people of Guyana, “he said confidently. WIN was followed by the final candidate to submit. Mr. Hubert Maloney of the Horizon and Star party arrived as the sole presenter of his party’s list of candidates. He is hoping that it will be approved to contest in the September 1 polls.

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• AFC, Elections, GECOM, Nomination Day, PPP

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