Masaka, Uganda – The former Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, has led the Democratic Front (DF) into its inaugural National Delegates Conference in Masaka City today, declaring it a moment for real change and political renewal.
Hundreds of delegates, party founders, aspiring candidates, and supporters gathered at the high-stakes assembly, where the DF is expected to elect its first official leadership, approve key policy positions, and lay out its roadmap to contesting in the 2026 general elections.
“This is not just a political meeting. It is the birth of a new political culture. A front that is people-driven, issue-focused, and unapologetically bold,” said Mpuuga, the party’s chief architect and interim convener.
The Democratic Front, launched earlier this year by disillusioned members of traditional opposition parties and civic activists, has quickly gained traction as a third-force alternative to the ruling NRM and mainstream opposition camps like NUP and FDC.
Its founding documents position DF as a reformist platform, committed to constitutionalism, youth empowerment, economic justice, and the restoration of civic dignity.
At the heart of today’s conference is the election of DF’s national leadership, including party president, secretary-general, treasurer, and regional coordinators.
Sources within the party hint at Mpuuga’s name being floated for the presidency, though insiders say he may instead opt for a backseat role, promoting grassroots-driven leadership to avoid personalism.
The delegates’ decisions today will determine whether DF transforms into a viable national contender or remains a noble experiment in Uganda’s crowded political space.
Mpuuga’s DF emergence has not been without controversy. His quiet departure from NUP’s top leadership ranks, amid public fallout over accountability questions and strategy differences, triggered political shockwaves.
“Let them say what they want. History will remember those who stood up when it mattered most,” Mpuuga said in a veiled reference to his critics.
Observers note that DF’s rise is already shifting opposition dynamics, forcing older parties to re-evaluate their voter bases and ideological clarity.
Holding the conference in Masaka, Mpuuga’s political stronghold and a historic center of resistance politics, is no accident. It’s a calculated move to anchor the DF narrative in the heartland of democratic activism, while sending a message that the party is rooted in community, not boardrooms.
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