The Democratic Party’s National Vice President, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, has said the party has launched a formal process to terminate its controversial cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), signaling a major political realignment ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In a letter dated April 7, 2025, and addressed to DP President and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao, Mbidde confirmed the start of a structured withdrawal process from the agreement.
“As you are aware, I proposed a significant motion to initiate the process of terminating our cooperation agreement with the National Resistance Movement,” Mbidde wrote.
“This motion is set to formally commence today, following the conclusion of the one-month assessment period outlined in the alternative motion you presented.”
The letter followed the recent meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council in Soroti, where party leaders reviewed the agreement’s impact and discussed its future.
Mbidde presented a five-point roadmap to guide the termination process.
Key elements include issuing a formal Notice to show cause to the NRM, launching nationwide consultative meetings, organizing caravans and termination rallies, forming a National Organizing Network, unveiling a new campaign identity, and implementing both national and international outreach strategies.
“We are fully committed to ensuring a seamless transition away from this cooperation and promoting effective communication throughout this endeavor,” Mbidde said, adding that all key party organs would remain actively involved.
The cooperation agreement, signed in July 2022, has long been a source of controversy within DP.
Many members accused the party leadership of abandoning its opposition role and aligning too closely with the ruling party.
The agreement was initially framed as a mechanism to promote constitutionalism, respect for human rights, and a peaceful transition of power.
However, last month, Mao strongly defended the agreement, criticising internal dissenters for spreading misinformation and accusing them of engaging in what he termed “the politics of untouchability.”
“In Uganda, there are political cult leaders who believe that one can’t even talk to members of other political parties. That is what we call political untouchability,” Mao said during a press briefing after a DP convention in Soroti City.
Mao, who became Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs shortly after signing the agreement with President Museveni, said the Soroti meetings aimed to address what he called “rigid political intolerance.”
Despite Mao’s defense, the Soroti gathering revealed deep divisions within the party.
Mbidde led calls for the agreement’s termination, arguing it had only served the interests of the NRM and a few individuals close to Mao, including DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda, who was seconded to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) by the NRM.
Many party members echoed Mbidde’s concerns, claiming the broader party base had not benefited and was left politically stranded.
Mao, however, insisted the backlash was driven by internal sabotage.
“They were fighting the cooperation agreement because they forged documents to incite people against me,” he alleged.
Despite Mao’s efforts to hold the alliance together, the agreement appears to have fallen short of expectations, prompting the Democratic Party to reconsider and now actively pursue a formal separation from the NRM.