Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has endorsed Nandala Mafabi for the 2026 Presidential race as Amuriat Patrick Oboi steps aside.
The decision followed an intense meeting that included consultations with party elders.
According to sources within the Najjanankumbi-based party, members expressed concerns that Amuriat has failed to make a meaningful impact on the party, particularly in mobilizing new members and raising funds to support party activities.
“I believe Mafabi will perform far better than Amuriat. Amuriat has not done anything substantial for the party,” one member said.
He emphasized that the party needs a vibrant candidate who can restore it to its full potential and revive the energy it once had.
Recently, internal wrangles within the FDC prompted the former presidential candidate to leave with a small group of supporters and form the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party.
These divisions trace back to the 2021 elections, when two factions emerged—one aligned with former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, and the other led by party president Patrick Amuriat and secretary-general Nandala Mafabi.
Besigye’s faction accused Amuriat’s camp of collaborating with President Yoweri Museveni and allegedly receiving funding from him—claims Amuriat and his allies have repeatedly denied. Conversely, Amuriat’s group accused Besigye’s camp of failing to account for $400,000 reportedly spent during the campaign.
It is widely believed that Besigye sought to sideline Amuriat in favor of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago ahead of the party’s presidential elections.
Although he remained an FDC member, Besigye neither endorsed nor opposed Amuriat’s 2021 presidential bid. In 2023, Nandala publicly questioned Besigye’s legitimacy as a founding member of the party.
“Besigye continues to destabilize the party, yet he wasn’t even a founding member. I challenge him to show us where he signed during the formation of FDC. At the time, he was in South Africa and only returned after the party had already been established,” Nandala said.
