KAMPALA. It is now official that Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and also Democratic Party (DP) Norbert Mao will challenge his boss , President Museveni in next years General Elections.
Mao’s nomination forms were picked from the Electoral Commission (EC) in Kampala on Monday by DP ’s Secretary General, Gerald Siranda.
“Our party went through the National Delegates Conference and endorsed Hon. Norbert Mao as the presidential flag bearer. By virtue of being party president, he automatically becomes our presidential candidate,” Siranda told journalists after collecting the forms.
He highlighted DP’s historic role in Uganda’s democratization process, emphasizing the party’s commitment to peaceful political transitions.
“The Democratic Party is the only party that has ever handed over power peacefully, and we believe that a proper democratization process is the only way to guarantee peace in Uganda,” he said.
Siranda also raised concerns over the EC’s nomination requirements, arguing that established political parties should not be subjected to the laborious process of collecting signatures from across districts, since they are already registered and submit regular returns to the Commission.
This is going to be Mao’s third shot at the presidency after making attempts in 2006, and 2021 polls .
Mao’s entry adds to the growing list of candidates aiming to challenge President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986.
Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said the number of Ugandans seeking to contest in the 2026 presidential election has risen to 175.