DP vice president Mbide eyes Party presidency as NUP reappoints Ssenyonyi

29 May 2026, 8:54 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Vice President of the Democratic Party (DP), Fred Mukasa Mbidde, has expressed interest in replacing the party’s President General, Norbert Mao.

Mbidde made the remarks yesterday while addressing the media at his chambers in Zana, Wakiso District. His statement comes after the expiry of the cooperation agreement between DP and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), under which Mao was appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

“The cooperation with NRM was meant to help create laws that would ensure a fair electoral process so that those whose votes were allegedly stolen in the 1980s could eventually take over leadership of the country. That was our main goal, and Hon. Mao was given that position to help make those laws. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The proposed meetings under the agreement were never held, and now the agreement has expired,” Mbidde said.

He added that Mao had already indicated in Mbarara that he was serving his last term as DP President General.

“In DP, one becomes party president because they have ambitions to become President of Uganda. We are now consulting on the future of the party and preparing for the next three years,” he added.

Mbidde also criticized what he described as President Museveni’s influence in opposition political parties.

“President Museveni has created divisions in every political party. In our case, he removed the engine, and now we must decide whether to get a new engine or repair the old one,” he said.

Commenting on the removal of former Speaker Anita Among, Mbidde dismissed claims that it was because of the purchase of a Rolls Royce vehicle.

“Anita was not removed because of the Rolls Royce. In some African countries, Members of Parliament even use helicopters because they are a means of transport. Depending on the type, one can cost about UGX 3 billion,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Unity Platform (NUP) yesterday announced that the Leader of Opposition in Parliament during the 11th Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, had been reappointed to continue leading the opposition side in Parliament.

The party also appointed the Member of Parliament for Makindye West, Zahrah Luyirika, as the Shadow Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs.

All the appointees thanked the party leadership for entrusting them with the opportunity to serve and pledged to work for the benefit of Ugandans.

On the other hand, the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, confirmed that Parliament had procured 500 iPads for Members of Parliament.

“We have procured all of them, and they arrived yesterday. The ICT department will guide MPs on how to use them because much of the parliamentary work is now paperless,” he said.

It should be noted that the 12th Parliament has a total of 527 MPs, including 353 directly elected MPs, 146 district woman representatives, and 30 representatives of special interest groups.

Additionally, Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jesca Alupo and Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja were yesterday vetted as part of the process before resuming their positions.

Yesterday’s parliamentary sitting was presided over by Rt. Hon. Jacob Oboth Oboth.