FDC already working towards victory in 2026 ― Amuriat

The president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Patrick Oboi Amuriat, has said the party is already making early preparations that will deliver a possible victory in the 2026 general elections.

Amuriat along with other party officials are currently on a countrywide tour focused on post-election assessment and evaluation.

While meeting chapter leaders and former FDC contestants including winners, at Ivory View in Kyenjojo Town on Tuesday evening, Amuriat said the tour is meant to generate for them all the necessary information required to make better preparations in future.

The leaders were drawn from the districts of Kagadi, Kyenjojo, Kakumiro, Kyegegwa and Kibaale.

"We want to make our own spot assessment of what happened in 2021. We are examining our preparedness for the elections, challenges encountered, and determining the way forward as we prepare our troops to participate in 2026," Amuriat said.

During the meeting, some leaders highlighted challenges encountered such as violence, voter bribery, COVID-19 effects, intimidation and bias by some security forces.

"Even in the media, we were not well represented and for us, we shall fault you for being unbalanced," Amuriat said.

He said they now want to make early preparations in order to overcome possible challenges in the next general elections.

"This is an early start to know what needs to be done to prepare our party the faithful and the people of Uganda to embrace FDC fully as we move to the elections of 2026," he said.

Amuriat called upon the leaders to continue with grassroots mobilisation, recruitment and early identification of candidates for 2026 but also fill the gaps in structures at district levels.

"Our call is yielding fruits because some people have already defected," Amuriat said.

While in Hoima, Patrick Musinguzi, a former contestant for the Bugahya County seat against incumbent Pius Wakabi, defected from the ruling NRM to FDC.

Faridah Nangonzi, the head of FDC Women’s League, said some party members have been implicated in being ‘two-sided’, calling upon them to be firm and work with the party diligently.

Walid Mulindwa Lubega, the FDC National Youth League chairperson, called upon leaders to mobilise the youth to join FDC, saying young people are key in building the party.