Young democrats petition EC to block justice minister Mao’s presidential nomination bid

KAMPALA - A section of Democratic Party's youth wind, UYD, has petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking to block the party's president general from nomination as presidential candidate for the 2026 General Election.

The move by the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) in a petition dated August 18, 2025, followed Justice Minister Nobert Mao’s expression of interest to contest as the Democratic Party’s (DP) presidential candidate for 2026 General Election.

In a letter, the UYD aggrieved members represented by Rukundo Seth and Co. Advocates petition EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama to stop Mao's nomination, over what they are calling illegal occupancy of the DP office as the party president general.

According to UYD president Micheal Mpunge, Mao was illegally elected in Mbarara delegates conference that sat on May 31, this year, with a petition of a jumbled process hovering on top of Mao’s head awaiting EC determination.

Addressing the media at Kabuusu Tavern Woods Gardens in Kampala on Tuesday, August 19, 2026, UYD members asked Byabakama to halt Mao's nomination process until all petitions against Mao's 'illegal office occupation' are heard and disposed of in the interest of justice and respect for the rule of law.

“We are sad that the petition challenging his election has remained under the commission's table unresolved to date. EC itself has neither officially acknowledged the fraudulent DP leadership elected in Mbarara nor gazetted them in the Uganda gazette,” Mpunge said.

"We write to bring to your attention the ongoing acts of contempt and conspiracy by 'DP leaders' to pick nomination forms and nominate a presidential candidate on the DP ticket mandate despite being fully aware of the several petitions filed to the independent EC against the current 'DP leadership'," Anthony Waddimba, a petitioner, said. 

 “We have in our possession all gazette copies since the Mbarara delegates’ conference, but there is none where the new DP national executive committee (NEC) was gazetted,” he insisted.

Former UYD president Ismail Kiirya revealed that Mao is not recognised as a new DP President General who should be thinking of holding the flag for the party without being gazetted by the country’s top electoral body ahead of 2026.

“Being non-gazetted means that the commission has not yet officially recognised the new DP leadership despite the fact that they continue leading on behalf of the DP members who rejected them in Mbarara,” Kiirya said.

As a party that prides on constitutionalism and rule of law, we shall not just sit and watch a Minister of Justice, under the watch of the distinguished Justice Byabakama defiling the same laws that they are supposed to be custodians of, he emphasised.

Grassroot DP members mobilised to denounce Mao’s candidature

We have also informed all DP district chairpersons countrywide majority of whom are signatories to the EC petitions denouncing the fraudulent leadership, not to allow anybody access DP grassroots under the guise of collecting nomination signatures for Mao's presidential candidature.

“We want to further put the Electoral Commission on notice that the UYD, together with DP members, have sufficient capacity to physically block any DP Presidential nominations at EC offices, should he attempt to be illegally nominated without resolving pending issues raised to the commission,” Kiirya threatened.

We would rather have no presidential candidate than abet illegalities until order is restored within the party.

One of the petitioners and former Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) vowing to stop Mao's candidature over the sham Mbarara delegates conference. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)

Mao's candidacy

DP secretary general Gerald Siranda on Monday, August 18, came with his team, led by Abiam Stephen Joseph Wakabi, the Buzaaya County MP aspirant in Kamuli district to collect nomination papers on behalf of Mao.

Mao’s intentions to express his decision to contest sparked mixed reactions by some Ugandans, questioning the seriousness of his bid given his role in President Yoweri Museveni's cabinet.

His decision to represent his party against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party candidate, with whom he entered a co-operation agreement, shades double standards, according to Julius Galiwango, a DP aggrieved supporter.

“Mao's candidacy could be a strategic move to divide the opposition vote or give a democratic face to an electoral process long criticised for being skewed in favour of the incumbent,” Andrew Kajungu, an aspirant from Kitagwenda district, said.

In his address to supporters and journalists after picking Mao’s papers, Siranda emphasised that Mao’s decision to run wasn't driven by a desire for power or fame but rather a commitment to ending the nearly 40-year rule of President Museveni, which he characterised as dictatorial.

Mao’s coming highlights the plight of Ugandans suffering under the current regime and vows to bring about change and justice.

“Our campaign has been dialogue and peaceful transition of power, and you can never have any change without reconciliation. We are the first political party in Uganda, and we offer achievable alternatives that are just hypes and sensationalism, Siranda said.

Candidacy is within party constitution provisions

Kennedy Mutenyo, the DP electoral management committee chairperson said that Mao’s nomination as the party flag bearer falls very well within the provisions of the party constitution.

“Whoever is our party president general becomes a flag bearer automatically without asking any member of even any meeting being convened,” he said.

Since Mao became the party president, he has had over 80 cases of similar nature all emanating from all members claiming DP membership in the whole country, and he has been challenging and winning all of them, he admitted.

“We advised those members to seek the solution at the party headquarters because it is an internal matter as provided for by the constitution but some of the UYD petitioners picked forms from us wanting to stand in what they termed as a non-existent party, which is ironic,” he informed.

Mao's leadership of the DP has been marked by schisms, defections, and internal dissent. His decision to challenge Museveni while serving in the cabinet has raised questions about his motivations and the potential impact on the party's fortunes.

In an eight-page petition addressed to the EC chairperson, Byabakama, on Wednesday, May 14, the top party leaders, led by Julius Ddumba, challenged the delegates conference, contesting the manner under which delegates were selected to convene the party's top organ meeting.