
CALL FOR RETURN OF DISSENTING MEMBERS
We have been approached by a number of our former members expressing a desire to return to the party and actively participate in the party activities including mobilization towards the forthcoming elections. The FDC Constitution in article 12 gives opportunity to any returning member to do so within the requirements of the Constitution. I am therefore on behalf of top management inviting all our former members to feel free and return home to their party. To facilitate this exercise, NEC will set up a reception desk at every district for purposes of coordinating return of our former members.
I wish to inform the public that the party has attained stability, thanks to the commitment by the leadership and members. Any previous challenges that we faced have been decisively sorted. We have embarked on an aggressive campaign to encourage young people of our country to join the party and to seek leadership positions by participating in the forthcoming exercise of party structure formation and refilling of vacant leadership positions. The party offers equal opportunities to everybody and I therefore make carrion a call to citizens especially the youth to join the FDC as one of their first choice.
2026 GENERAL ELECTIONS
I wish to inform the general public that the party will fully participate in the 2026 General Elections and we have embarked on strategies intended to enhance the performance of the party in all elective positions. We intend to field candidates in all available positions to be contested for. Some of the immediate activities for consideration include but are not limited to:
- Candidates identification to be concluded by June 2025,
- Ongoing resources mobilization and campaign budgets,
- Manifesto development,
- Setting up Campaign Bureau and networks,
- Enhancement of media and publicity teams.
- National Delegates conference for the election of a presidential flag-bearer to take place by June this year.
The party calls on all her members to participate in both internal party election activities and those outlined in the elections roadmap issued by the National Electoral Commission.
We have also noted with interest the call by our colleagues in the opposition for a united opposition going forward to the next election. We wish to reiterate the fact that we have always held a view that a united opposition will be a better competitor than a divided one. We welcome whichever group in the opposition that may be interested in building a working relationship with us ahead of 2026. Our call also ahead of the 2026 elections is to NRM government to allow a comprehensive debate on electoral reforms that will guarantee free, fair, credible and verifiable elections. We wish to call for a re-visitation of the Private Members Bills related to the Citizen Compact of free and fair elections that have been shelved in Parliament.
2ND PHASE OF MOBILIZATION
Following our very successful public rally engagements with citizens in selected subregions of the country, it is now time to take our campaign closer to the population. Going forward therefore we shall resume our engagement with citizens through a series of countrywide activities, the objectives of which are the following:
- Continue with enhancing confidence within the FDC members and citizens,
- Dissemination of critical information about the position on participation of FDC in the 2026 General Elections,
- Projection of positive image of the party,
- Mobilization and recruitment of citizens into the FDC,
- Mobilization of citizens to registration register and vote in the 2026 General Elections,
- Continue with E-registration of members,
- Empowering citizens with information about the shortcomings of the government in power,
- Support to aspiring candidates in their campaigns and
- Settling outstanding matters of conflicts in selected districts
Beginning late January, the party will carry out simultaneous outreaches to all the four regions of the country. This will be done through mini political rallies and meetings at constituency levels. We shall release a program for this particular activity in a week’s time. We call upon all members and supporters to embrace this program.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION ROADMAP
According to the National Electoral Commission Roadmap, it is expected that the next President of Uganda will be announced around January next year. Under the constitution, the Electoral Commission is mandated to provide a free, fair, and equitable environment for all citizens to exercise their democratic rights.
However, the Commission has repeatedly amended this Electoral Roadmap with minimal communication to citizens and political party leaders, who are key stakeholders. One critical amendment that demands attention is the Update of the Voters Register. The Electoral Commission intends to conduct this exercise from 20th January to 10th February 2025—a period of only 21 days for such an essential exercise. This exercise involves registering new voters and updating voter details, including changes in polling stations location. Originally, the amended roadmap had scheduled this process for 3rd to 25th January 2025, allocating only 23 days.
As FDC, we are deeply concerned about the limited time allocated to this critical process. We strongly believe that a voter registration and update exercise of this magnitude requires at least two months. The Electoral Commission’s approach to managing this process appears rushed and uncoordinated, raising serious concerns about its preparedness.
The Electoral Commission has also failed to adequately engage stakeholders throughout the implementation of the roadmap. The Commission has been complacent in disenfranchising voters by colluding with certain candidates to remove the details of rival candidates and voters from the electoral commission system. This malpractice was evident in the last elections, and as FDC, we remain vigilant to prevent a re ocurrence. Incidents like what transpired during the Bukedea Woman MP elections will not be tolerated this time.
The Commission has also failed to gazette electoral areas for the 2026 elections within the stipulated timeline. According to the roadmap, these areas should have been gazetted and communicated to stakeholders by the end of November 2024. To date, 15th January 2025, no such information has been shared, despite our formal inquiries to the Electoral Commission. This lack of transparency mirrors the confusion witnessed in 2020, where electoral areas were gazetted just days before nominations, causing challenges for candidates and stakeholders. This deliberate orchestrated multi-practice, which previously cost us the Soroti City East parliamentary seat, must not be repeated. This is also evident in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono which confusion caused by the electoral commission we wish to protest in the strongest term possible.
Finally, voter education is a fundamental component of any electoral process. However, the program for updating the National Voters Register and registering special interest groups remains poorly communicated, known only to the Electoral Commission and a few individuals.
In light of these issues, the FDC calls upon all its leaders, members, and well-wishers to mobilize and inform the public about the importance of participating in the voter update exercise. We also urge the youth and other eligible groups to register as voters in preparation for the 2025/2026 General Elections.
PATRICK OBOI AMURIAT
FDC PRESIDENT