The Democratic Party (DP) has granted an official waiver to six of its incumbent Members of Parliament, exempting them from participating in party primaries ahead of the 2025–2026 general elections.
The announcement was made by the party’s Secretary General and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) legislator, Mr Gerald Siranda Black, during a weekly press briefing held at the party’s headquarters on Balintuma Road in Nakulabye on Tuesday.
The media briefing, themed “Candidates’ Expression of Interest, Party Nominations and Preparations for the 2025–2026 General Elections”, highlighted the party’s strategy to retain and strengthen its parliamentary representation.
The MPs who will not face internal contest include, Fred Kayondo (Mukono South), Lulume Bayiga (Buikwe South), Richard Lumu Kizito (Mityana South), Richard Sebamala (Bukoto Central), Geofrey Okello Charles (Nwoya East), and Okot Peter (Tochi County).
“These are tested leaders. The party leadership has agreed that they will not go through the primary process again. Instead, we are deploying them to other regions like Sheema and Igara to help strengthen our mobilisation efforts and guide upcoming candidates,” Mr Siranda said.
The party, he said, is focused on building a formidable team ahead of the next general election, and efforts are underway to ensure early preparedness.
Mr Siranda also addressed former party members seeking to return to DP, emphasizing that they must apply for a waiver before being readmitted.
“If you want to return to DP, you must apply for a waiver because you come back as a new member. Even if you were once the party president, there will be no automatic return,” he said.
The move comes as several opposition parties intensify internal preparations and candidate selection ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive 2026 general election.
The Democratic Party, one of Uganda’s oldest political parties, has recently faced internal divisions and stiff competition from newer political formations, especially in central Uganda.
