The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, also the President of the Democratic Party (DP), Norbert Mao has advised party members to contest for the Local Council One (LCI) positions in their respective areas to serve citizens under the DP mantle.

According to Mao, contestants should have confidence to contest because the party is behind them as it intensifies efforts to reorganise the party structures in all parts of the country.

While addressing journalists on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026, at the party headquarters on Balintuma Road in Kampala, Mao revealed that the party is set to hold a leadership retreat to orient its members to address the problem of a lack of ideological orientation in the politics of Uganda.

He revealed that during the retreat, a range of issues will be discussed, including filling the vacant positions in the party and resolving internal party squabbles.

“I call upon members who have challenges in the party and those with different views to attend the retreat to present all their views and challenges. Here we dont fear different views because we have the brains to resolve issues,” Mao said.

Mao also pledged to further the national dialogue agenda through his famous cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), calling upon Ugandans to rally behind him to materialise the dream of peaceful transition of power in Uganda.

He, however, challenged those attacking the party because it decided to cooperate with the NRM, stating that nobody has the mandate to lecture DP on the political history of Uganda and the discussion it should take because it has gone through challenges for the last 50 years, and that gives it enough experience to pave the way for transition.

“I heard people complain that I am in bed with NRM and consequently they have refered me to as a fool, but I wonder why would they rum to me seeking my opinion on the national issues, why do you seek an opinion from a fool? Recently, I heard someone asking how far I have reached with dialogue for transition. So, if you say I am NRM, why would you ask me about the transition?” Mao questioned.

He said that Ugandans should know that he is on his own journey and no one should offer him any advice because they don’t know where he started.

“I am on my own journey, and it’s only God who knows how it will end. However, there is a spirit of radicalisation in Uganda because both those in power and in opposition are radical, but they should know that more Ugandans are not radical. But as the DP, we don’t believe in radicalisation, and we shall use the available constitutional means to push the National dialogue agenda for a peaceful transition,” Mao said.

Mao’s call for participation in the LCI elections comes at a time when villages are preparing to elect charpersons on July 28th, 2026.