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By Andrew Irumba
For years, Democratic Party Vice President Hon. Dr. Fred Mukasa Mbidde stood firmly beside DP President Norbert Mao through turbulent political storms, defended him during internal rebellions and even remained loyal when Mao signed the controversial cooperation agreement with President Yoweri Museveni’s NRM government.
Now, in what many insiders are interpreting as a delayed political awakening, Mbidde has officially declared his intention to challenge for the presidency of the Democratic Party, setting the stage for an explosive showdown inside Uganda’s oldest political party.
In a letter dated May 28, 2026, addressed directly to Mao, Mbidde formally announced his bid for the party’s top seat ahead of the upcoming delegates’ conference.
“I am writing to formally inform you of my decision to run for the presidency of the Democratic Party in the upcoming delegates’ conference,” Mbidde wrote.
The veteran politician further revealed that he had already embarked on nationwide consultations aimed at rallying support and “ensuring that our collective vision for the future of the Democratic Party is well represented.”
The declaration now throws DP into yet another internal ideological confrontation, with many party loyalists accusing Mao of dragging the once-formidable opposition party into what critics metaphorically describe as “the crocodile’s jaws” through his political cooperation with Museveni.
Ironically, Mbidde has been Mao’s deputy for two consecutive terms and remained one of the strongest defenders of the controversial Memorandum of Understanding signed between DP and NRM in 2022.
The agreement was heavily marketed as a strategic political arrangement that would give DP meaningful influence within government. Sources inside DP say there were expectations that the party would secure at least two ministerial slots, with many believing Mbidde was destined for one of them.
However, political calculations reportedly changed after Mao’s appointment as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Mbidde, despite his loyalty and years of political sacrifice, was left empty-handed.
Instead, the only notable political consolation linked to Mao’s camp became the East African Legislative Assembly slot handed to Siranda, a move some insiders privately described as “peripheral compensation.”
The unfolding fallout mirrors themes in Betrayed By My Leader, the famous political memoir authored by former NRA bush war combatant and ex-Kashari MP Maj. John Kazoora, who later turned against President Museveni and accused the ruling establishment of abandoning the ideals of the liberation struggle.
Just like Kazoora’s story, DP insiders now say Mbidde may finally be confronting the political reality of loyalty without reward.
The irony is even deeper considering the personal relationship the two leaders once shared.
Mao reportedly served as Mbidde’s best man during his wedding, while Mbidde later chaired Mao’s grand homecoming ceremony in Gulu after his appointment into government.
But political friendships in Uganda rarely survive power realignments.
In his letter, Mbidde attempted to strike a reconciliatory tone, saying he was “committed to engaging with our members across the country and discussing the key issues that matter most to them.”
He added that the consultations were intended to “strengthen our party” and create “open dialogue that reflects the interests of all party members.”
Yet beneath the diplomatic language lies a growing rebellion within DP ranks, where sections of members accuse Mao of transforming the party from an opposition force into an appendage of the ruling establishment.
Whether Mbidde’s sudden political awakening will rescue DP from irrelevance or simply deepen existing fractures remains uncertain.
But one thing is now undeniable: the man who stood beside Mao throughout the controversial NRM cooperation era has finally stepped forward to challenge the very leadership he once defended.
, https://www.spyuganda.com/betrayed-by-my-leader-mbidde-finally-wakes-up-against-mao-as-dp-succession-battle-explodes/
