The Democratic Party (DP) has announced that it will not field a presidential candidate in the 2026 general elections, choosing instead to concentrate its resources on parliamentary and local government races.
Party president Hon. Norbert Mao explained that the decision was reached after a thorough discussion by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). According to him, the cost and intensity of a presidential race outweigh the party’s current financial and organizational capacity.
“I have been ready to run because I have run before, so nobody can doubt my capacity to run for President of Uganda. However, when we met as the NEC, a motion was brought and discussed thoroughly; from which a decision was reached upon that our focus should be in parliament and local government,” Mao said.
He noted that Uganda’s presidential contest requires “substantial resources,” and DP members felt these resources would deliver more meaningful results if directed toward strengthening the party in the legislature and at local levels.
“We have finite resources and the presidential contest requires a substantial amount of resources. Members argued that these finite resources can bring better returns when used for parliamentary and local government races,” Mao added.
Mao also defended DP’s relevance in Uganda’s political landscape, describing it as a party that plays a moderating role amidst polarized politics.
“The Democratic Party has always been a moderating influence in Uganda’s politics; that is why we call it the indispensable party,” he said.
He emphasized that unlike other parties formed “in a reactionary manner just to oppose an individual,” DP remains committed to building long-term structures and policies.
With this strategy, the party hopes to consolidate its position in parliament and local government councils, while continuing to play what Mao described as its role as the “cement” of Uganda’s opposition politics.
