The Democratic Party (DP) has warned the public regarding individuals falsely claiming to represent the "DP Block" and endorsing a presidential candidate ahead of the upcoming 2026 general elections.
This follows incidents last week where some members of the DP Block, a coalition of opposition parties aligned with the DP's ideology, made an endorsement through its National Executive Council (NEC) for former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga as their presidential candidate.
The NEC, responsible for key decision-making and election strategy within the bloc, has positioned Mpuuga to challenge President Yoweri Museveni's long-standing rule.
However, DP's acting spokesperson, Ismail Kiirya, clarified that the DP Block was originally formed to mobilize former DP members through the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) Re-Union caravan.
He explained that following the formation of the National Unity Platform (NUP), some members defected to NUP while still attempting to exploit the DP Block for their personal interests.
"DP Block was created to unite former DP members under the UYD Re-Union, but when NUP was established, certain individuals sought to misuse the platform for their selfish gains," Kiirya said.
He also pointed out that the DP legally contested the existence of the DP Block, and a court ruling dissolved the entity.
Despite this, some individuals continue to use the DP Block name for personal benefit, an act that the DP strongly condemns.
"We challenge those using the DP Block name, as the court ruled in our favor and dissolved the entity. Those still operating under that name are pursuing their own selfish interests," Kiirya stressed.
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Kiirya reiterated that the DP will choose its presidential candidate through the party's constitutional process.
The party's presidential candidate will be selected at a Delegate's Conference, which is expected to take place before the end of the year.
"The Democratic Party elects its presidential candidate through a Delegate's Conference, and preparations are already underway for this year's conference," Kiirya assured.
In his address, Kiirya called on DP members to distance themselves from any activities associated with the dissolved DP Block.
He emphasised that such actions are illegitimate and have no standing within the official party structures.
"We urge all DP members to disassociate from these so-called DP Block activities, as they are non-existent and have no place in the Democratic Party's structures," he said.
The DP further urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid being misled by individuals using the DP Block platform for political manipulation.
