FDC Rejects 2026 Election Results, Outlines Post-Poll Strategy

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has reiterated its rejection of the January 2026 general election results, declaring that the struggle for democratic governance in Uganda is far from over. Addressing the media on Monday, April 27, 2026, FDC President Patrick Oboi Amuriat said the party “did not accept, does not accept, and will not legitimise the declared outcome” of the elections, which he argued did not reflect the will of the people.

Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the FDC Secretary General at the IPOD Summit

Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the FDC Secretary General at the IPOD Summit

Amuriat cited what he described as widespread irregularities, including an internet blackout, arrests of opposition supporters, and alleged ballot stuffing. “An election conducted under an internet blackout, amid mass arrests of opposition supporters, with countrywide ballot stuffing documented on video, is not an election,” he said.

Despite rejecting the results, Amuriat said the party remains resolute. “We do not despair. We do not retreat. We do not surrender,” he said, adding that FDC was built for challenging political moments. He, however, acknowledged victories by some FDC candidates in parliamentary and local government races, describing them as evidence of public trust in the party.

The party unveiled a series of post-election activities, including the induction of its Members of Parliament and the formulation of a legislative policy framework to guide its agenda in the 12th Parliament. “Our newly elected Members of Parliament will undergo a structured induction programme equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and strategic orientation to represent FDC’s values effectively,” Amuriat said.

FDC also plans to train its elected leaders at district and sub-county levels, focusing on governance, accountability, and community mobilisation. On political cooperation, the party announced plans to engage other opposition groups to build a united front. “The liberation of Uganda from four decades of one-man rule cannot be the project of any single party,” Amuriat said.

He added that FDC would continue advocating for the release of political prisoners, including its founding president, Dr. Kizza Besigye, who he said has been detained for over 500 days. The party also criticised the government’s handling of the recently halted trade order that led to the eviction of street vendors.

“This is not governance. This is recklessness dressed in the language of order,” Amuriat said, accusing authorities of failing to plan for the livelihoods of affected vendors. He argued that street vending is a means of survival for many Ugandans. “Street vending is not a crime. It is survival,” he said. FDC demanded accountability for destroyed property, compensation for affected vendors, and a transparent consultation process before implementing similar policies.

Opposition to Sovereignty Bill

Amuriat also announced the party’s rejection of the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, describing it as a threat to civil liberties. “This Bill… is designed to do one thing: to silence, imprison, and destroy the Ugandan people’s ability to speak, assemble, challenge power, and live in freedom,” he said.

He warned that the bill could criminalise diaspora remittances, restrict civil society funding, and undermine press freedom. “If you publish information this government decides ‘damages the economic viability of Uganda,’ you face twenty years in prison,” Amuriat said. The party called for the immediate withdrawal of the bill, arguing that it duplicates existing laws and violates constitutional provisions.

Amuriat said FDC would formally present its position on the bill to a joint parliamentary committee, led by Deputy President Anne Adeke Ebaju. In his concluding remarks, he reaffirmed the party’s commitment to defending democratic principles. “Sovereignty belongs to the people of Uganda. Not to Cabinet. Not to one Minister. Not to State House,” he said.