By KT Reporter
Barely six months after stepping onto Uganda’s political stage, the Democratic Front (DF) stirred national debate when it announced that it would meet the nomination costs of all its parliamentary candidates for the 2026 general election.
Henry Lubowa, the chairperson of the DF Elections Management Committee, said the party successfully nominated 88 parliamentary candidates across the country during the October exercise. These candidates were selected from over 150 expressions of interest submitted between September and October, 2025, an early sign, he noted, of the party’s rapidly expanding appeal.
With each aspirant required to pay 3 million Shillings to the Electoral Commission, the DF spent 264 million Shillings on parliamentary nominations alone. Lubowa argues that although DF is a new political entrant, it cannot afford to act timidly:
“We had to establish ourselves and participate fully in the political contest.”
The DF emerged from a splinter faction of the National Unity Platform (NUP), following irreconcilable disagreements involving former NUP Deputy President for Buganda and then Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (2021-2023), Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba.
Mpuuga, now DF President, has positioned the party as a fresh but principled alternative, drawing from the experience of leaders well-versed in political organising and resource mobilisation.
Mpuuga says the decision to fund candidates’ nomination fees was deliberate, part of a broader strategic agenda to demonstrate the party’s commitment to meaningful, inclusive political change. In addition to parliamentary aspirants, the DF also covered nomination costs for all its local government candidates, using funds raised partly from supporters aligned with the party’s ideology.
“We have heard the speculation about our source of funding,” Mpuuga noted, dismissing rumours with a calm confidence. “The party leadership is transparent. We welcome anyone willing to support the cause. Our doors are open.”
He further disclosed that DF had initially planned to field a presidential candidate, but delays in considering proposed electoral reforms forced a strategic shift. The budget earlier earmarked for presidential ambitions was redirected to empower parliamentary and local government candidates, an approach he believes will yield a more impactful campaign.
Mpuuga insists that DF’s structured organisation, reform-centred message, and clarity of purpose make it one of the most compelling opposition platforms in the current political landscape. He says many Ugandans, at home and abroad, identify with the party’s direction and willingly offer financial and moral support.
As campaigns intensify, DF candidates are rallying voters around sweeping electoral and constitutional reforms, devolution of power and resources, and national reconciliation, issues the party considers pivotal to rebuilding Uganda’s political architecture. The leadership prides itself on selecting “well-polished candidates” capable of championing a transformative agenda once entrusted with the people’s mandate.
For many aspirants, the DF’s gesture of covering nomination fees has created a deep sense of loyalty and solidarity. Matia Kintu Musoke, the DF flag bearer for Kalungu East, says the support strengthened his attachment to the party and affirmed its promise of political renewal.
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