FDC executive council to discuss Mpuuga proposed reforms
"We shall discuss these reforms with all party organs, and we shall support it to be achieved," Amuriat said.
The FDC president Patrick Amuriat (right) and the national coordinator of Democratic Alliance Mathias Mpuuga addressing the media after meeting at the party's headquarters in Najannakumbi, Kampala on January 21, 2025. (Photos by Francis Emorut)
NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) says it will discuss Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mathias Mpuuga’s proposed electoral reforms in its National Executive Council (NEC).
FDC party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat was addressing the media on January 21, 2025, after an engagement with Mpuuga at the party's headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala.
"We shall discuss these reforms with all party organs, and we shall support it to be achieved," Amuriat said.
At exactly 10:53am, Mpuuga’s three-car entourage made its way into the FDC headquarters. The team was received by top FDC officials, led by Amuriat.
The FDC team, who appeared prepared for the much-awaited meeting, had been at the venue since 7:00am.
After Mpuuga’s team signing the visitor’s book at Amuriat’s office, they were ushered to the party’s main boardroom. However, the media was barred from accessing the boardroom.
Proposed reforms
Mpuuga, who is also a former Leader of Opposition in Parliament, proposes reforms to, among others, reduce the number of legislators.
He believes Uganda with a population of 45 million people, cannot afford to have 529 MPs. Therefore, Mpuuga, who is also Nyendo-Mukungwe MP, wants each district to have only one legislator plus 156 women MPs.
The FDC president Patrick Amuriat (right) interacts with the national coordinator of Democratic Alliance Mathias Mpuuga (left) as DA member Mike Mabike looks on arrival for a meeting at the party's headquarters in Najannakumbi, Kampala on January 21, 2025. 
For the women Members of Parliament, Mpuuga proposes that they be apportioned depending on the percentage of votes that parties get in the election.
Mpuuga says the 146 MP positions for the districts and 10 for the cities should be maintained but apportioned depending on the party’s share of the vote.
He argues that the move, if implemented, will reduce the tensions in politics as it will take away the prevailing condition of winner takes it all.
Mpuuga also proposes that another tier of Parliament should be created. This Parliament built on the American model of the Senate, Mpuuga says would have only 39 MPs drawn from the original 39 districts of Uganda.
Other amendments that Mpuuga wants to be made are having a voted-for vice-president who will chair the upper house of Parliament.
He also wants the results of the presidential elections to be made at each district and those that are transmitted to the national tally centre for declaration.
Also proposed for amendment is allowing Ugandans in the diaspora and prison to also vote.
Mpuuga argued that the suggestion by some people that there is not enough time to carry out this amendment before the next election scheduled for 2026 is a lazy one.
He said if justice minister Norbert Mao brings his amendments like it has been heard, he will have no problem consolidating them.
Also on the agenda for amendment is the restoration of term limits that were struck out of the Constitution in 2005.
He said term limits are the safest way of ensuring Uganda has a smooth transition.
New Vision has learnt that Mpuuga has written to several entities, including political parties and institutions such as the Electoral Commission, to secure their participation in these consultations.
Last week, Mpuuga held the first meeting of this series with the leadership of the Justice Forum (JEEMA) at their offices in Mengo.
The discussions reportedly focused on areas of collaboration to promote electoral reforms and a peaceful transition of power.
After the meeting with JEEMA officials, Mpuuga emphasised that the alliance is committed to building consensus among political actors to foster a democratic environment conducive to credible elections.
When he was unveiled as the pressure group leader on December 6, 2024, Mpuuga vowed to save his National Unity Platform party (NUP) party from the political turbulence it is experiencing ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“We have our friends we have left at Kavule (NUP headquarters in Kampala). They have their issues; we have Uganda to save. They will save themselves and if they fail to save themselves, we shall save them,” he said.
This was during a gathering of a faction of NUP and that of the Democratic Party (DP) bloc at Malibu Gardens in Kampala.
Mpuuga argued that they have missed “a lot of opportunities and time backbiting and backstabbing each other”.
“I’m here to invite you to join me, My Leader team, the DP bloc and the whole Alliance into one single file of struggling Ugandans for a better country,” he said. He also said that they don’t need to be the closest of friends to work together.
“We have what binds us being Ugandans and people who have similar dreams and are going far. And that is enough. I never gave myself the brain to think. God gave me a brain to think and I have to use it for the benefit of the common good,” he told the gathering.
NUP has since replaced Mpuuga as LOP with Nakawa West legislator Joel Ssenyonyi. Mpuuga has also been replaced by Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi as deputy NUP party president for Buganda region.
According to the Electoral Commission, the next general election will take place on January 12 and February 9, 2026, but candidates for presidential, parliamentary and local government seats will be nominated from June to October this year.