By Kenneth Wamatoyi
JINJA
Three Candidates have so far shown interest in carrying the Presidential Flagbearer for Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party.
This was revealed by Jinja District Chairperson, FDC’s Kiirya Grace Wanzala on Monday, 7th April, 2025 at Jinja Safari Hotel while launching the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party, Busoga Chapter roadmap ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
Wanzala revealed that the candidates currently expressing interest in holding the FDC presidential flag include Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi, representing Budadiri East, Patrick Amuriat, the current FDC party president, and Moses Byamugisha, a lawyer by profession.
He mentioned that discussions are ongoing to choose one candidate to represent the party for president, and if these talks fail, they will hold primaries to determine the candidate.
Meanwhile, the party will begin nominations at all levels, with the nomination deadline set for May 30, 2025. He emphasized that all interested parties, including local councilors and MPs, should express their interest before the party allows the nominations.
Wanzala mentioned that on June 5, all members must have picked up their nomination forms, and by June 10, the nomination of candidates will be conducted. The vetting committee will hold its review on June 24, and by July 20, the party will announce its candidates at various levels. Additionally, he stated that by April 29, the presidential roadmap will be released, and the vetting committee will carry out its work.
He explained that FDC has multiple stages that candidates must go through, including nomination, vetting, and eventually becoming an available candidate for the party. Before the vetting exercise, candidates are given the opportunity to discuss with others regarding the constituencies where multiple potential candidates may be interested in contesting.
He urged both members and the public to express interest, as nominations are still open. Wanzala also clarified that FDC does not require a nomination fee, unlike other parties such as NRM and NUP, but rather charges a membership fee. He emphasized that FDC relies on donor support and funding from IPOD. However, he also pointed out that an active MP should help themselves.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commission (EC), criticizing their work and roadmap, citing unresolved reforms. He mentioned that while various activities are ongoing, the EC has not settled on crucial issues, and funding for these activities remains inadequate.
Grace Wanzala also stated that the EC has given too little time for the presidential campaign. He argued that within three months, a presidential candidate cannot realistically campaign across all districts in Uganda, as they would need to cover two districts per day, which is an impractical expectation. He called for an extension of the campaign period.
Regarding the party’s internal affairs, Wanzala rejected allegations that the party might be deregistered, asserting that FDC operates according to its constitution, and deregistration is not a possibility at this time. He also mentioned that FDC has established a reconciliation committee, though it has not yet yielded results due to internal rivalries among members.
He noted that FDC has developed strategies for candidates who lose primaries, with several layers of support in place for aggrieved parties. These measures aim to help maintain unity within the party.
FDC has several candidates from the Busoga region, including Bernard Mbayo for Jinja South West, as well as candidates from Jinja North, Butembe, Namayingo, and Iganga.
In their delegation meeting, the party agreed to work together to consolidate votes, particularly in regions like Jinja and Iganga, to support each other’s campaigns. Wanzala mentioned that, in previous elections, he lost by only 13 votes in Butembe constituency.
Attendees at the press conference included Francis Mutebe, FDC Chairperson of Kamuli District, Ngobi Hassan, FDC Chairman of Buyende District, Namudiba Faridah, FDC Chairperson of Bugweri District, and others.
According to Bernard Mbayo, the Councilor representing Jinja South West and an aspiring MP for Jinja City West, the role of the NRM party is to create confusion among other political parties. He referred to a delegate meeting held earlier at Lugogo and emphasized that FDC will not be deregistered, countering claims from the PFF Katonga faction. He pointed out that FDC runs on a strong structure, and the party has helped maintain discipline, with an electronic party card system that prevents forgery.
Mbayo reiterated that FDC prefers dialogue to resolve conflicts, especially concerning party primaries. He noted that despite some failures, many of those who lose will ultimately support the candidate who emerges victorious. He concluded by emphasizing that the party has worked hard to ensure internal support for its candidates.
