Politics
Norbert Mao Picks Nomination Forms to Challenge Museveni in 2026 Presidential Race
The President General of the Democratic Party (DP), Norbert Mao, who currently serves as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs in President Yoweri Museveni’s government, has formally picked nomination forms to contest against his boss in the 2026 presidential elections.
The forms were collected by DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda at the Electoral Commission headquarters in Kampala on Monday. Siranda confirmed to reporters that Mao will represent the DP as its flag bearer in the upcoming elections, even though he has not yet resigned from his ministerial post.
“Our party went through the National Delegates Conference and eventually endorsed the candidate in the honorable Norbert Mao. In DP, the presidential flag bearer automatically is the party president,” Siranda said. “We are here to formally pick the forms on behalf of our party president.”
Under Ugandan electoral law, public servants are required to resign from their offices before joining elective politics, but presidential aspirants can do so up to a day before the official nomination date. Following a recent Electoral Commission decision, the nomination dates for presidential candidates have been moved from October 2–3 to September 23–24, 2025, giving Mao until September 22 to step down from his government role.
To be officially nominated, a presidential candidate must submit at least 98,000 signatures from registered voters across a minimum of 98 districts. However, Siranda called for legal amendments to exempt political parties from this requirement.
“Political parties that are registered and file returns with the Electoral Commission should not have to go to over 95 districts to collect signatures. It is presumed that we already have the numbers, and we are registered,” Siranda argued. “We just submitted our returns in June, so this process seems unnecessary for endorsed parties.”
Mao’s declaration marks a bold move as he prepares to challenge Museveni, who has been in power for nearly four decades. His candidacy adds to an already crowded field, with over 175 aspirants having picked nomination forms to contest for Uganda’s top office so far.
The coming weeks are expected to intensify political activity as parties mobilize support and candidates prepare their campaigns ahead of the 2026 general elections. With Mao currently holding a ministerial portfolio, all eyes are on whether he will resign in time to meet the Electoral Commission’s eligibility requirements, and how his dual role as a government minister and opposition leader will shape the political dynamics leading up to the polls.
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