The Democratic Party President, Nobert Mao, has confirmed that he will contest in the 2026 national elections as President of the Republic of Uganda.
While speaking to the media on July 30, 2024, at Balintuma Road in Mengo Rubaga division, the DP president, who is also the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, confirmed that he will contest for party president, which automatically makes him the party flag bearer for the 2026 presidential elections.
“I also want to confirm that come this September we shall have a delegates conference and I will contest for party presidency, and as you know, I will automatically become the DP flag bearer for the national presidential elections come 2026,” Mao said.
Mao further explained how the cooperation agreement between DP and NRM is ending soon and how operationalizing it has been hard.
“Operationalizing the cooperation agreement is hard and more especially with NRM because for us here at DP we can openly talk about it, but in NRM I think it’s hard for them. The agreement ends with this term of office, and we are sure the organs of DP will discuss and assess whether the cooperation agreement has been achieved or not. But for the time being, we shall continue holding hands with the NRM. It will be difficult, but Ugandans will have to know we are doing this for the future,” Mao added.
In July 2022, the DP president general Norbert Mao had a meeting with the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who doubles as the NRM party chairman, where they signed a pact of cooperation.
In the 42-clause agreement, the two parties not only agreed to share political power but also to foster constitutionalism and the respect of human rights. According to the agreement, DP agreed to cooperate with NRM in supporting the overall governance agenda and supporting parliamentary votes on matters of confidence and supply for the full term (2021-2026) of this parliament.
After signing the cooperation agreement, Mao was later appointed as the Minister for Justice and constitutional affairs, and the NRM pledged to support Gerald Siranda, the then DP secretary general for East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP, which they did, and Siranda now serves as an EALA MP.
