KAMPALA.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leadership has endorsed veteran legislator Nathan Nandala Mafabi as its presidential flag bearer in the next year’s General Elections .
This follows an intense internal negotiation that saw the party president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi, stepping down in favour of Nandala .
FDC insiders say the party elders who met on Tuesday finally persuaded Mr Amuriat, who carried the party’s flag in the bloody 2021 presidential polls, to step down, which he agreed to.
“It’s true, Nandala is our party flag bearer and he will be announced to the public today,” The source said.
The party leaders last night called for an emergency press briefing slated for today at 10 am.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources within the party said it will be at this press briefing that the official communication will be made about Mr Nandala, who serves as the party secretary general.
“All I can say is that Nandala is our man and that is it. For the details, wait for the official party communication during the press briefing,” the source said.
On Monday, the party secretary for Publicity, Mr John Kikonyogo, said there had been concerted efforts led by the party elders to have one candidate step down for the other.
During a recent meeting held in Mbale, Eastern Uganda, the elders from Teso and Bugisu asked Amuriat to step down for Nandala.
Mr Nandala will now face off with President Museveni, who was recently nominated by his National Resistance Movement (NRM) to extend his rule beyond four decades, National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi and Maj. Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu, who was last week nominated by the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) electoral commission to contest for the presidency, among others.Basing on many individuals expressing interest to contest for president , the 2026 presidential race is likely to be crowded compared to all the past ones .