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FDC secretary general, Nathan Nandala Mafabi parading his certificate of nomination after he was successfully nominated by Bamwenda. (Photo by Milton Niinga)
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By Milton Niinga
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has officially nominated former presidential candidate and party president Patrick Amuriat Oboi, along with party secretary general Nathan Nandala Mafabi, to compete for the party's presidential flag bearer position in the 2026 general elections.
Drama unfolded during the nomination exercise on Wednesday at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi when a third contender, Dan Masiko, was denied nomination.
"My nomination papers were stolen from me by unknown FDC goons who had been deployed at the gate to block me from contesting against the so-called bigwigs of this party," Masiko claimed.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has officially nomination the former presidential candidate and party president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi speaking. (Photo by Milton Niinga)
In response, FDC Electoral Commission Chairperson Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda advised Masiko to return after making better preparations. He was later driven away by angry FDC youth who jeered at him.
According to Bamwenda, the two nominated candidates will now begin traversing the country to campaign for support from party delegates.
"These two candidates nominated to run for the party presidential flag bearer position will move around the country campaigning among district delegates ahead of the July 31, 2025, National Delegates Conference in Kampala," Bamwenda said.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has officially nomination the former presidential candidate and party president, Patrick Amuriat Oboi seated waiting for nomination certificate. (Photo by Milton Niinga)
Amuriat, an engineer, politician, and founding member of the FDC, succeeded Gen. Mugisha Muntu as party president before Muntu went on to register the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party.
The former Kumi County Member of Parliament was appointed chief national field coordinator for FDC’s 2015 presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye. He later gained party trust and was elected FDC president during the 7th National Delegates Conference held on November 24, 2017, at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, becoming the party's third leader.
Speaking shortly after his nomination, Amuriat expressed confidence in his renewed bid.
"This time around, I am hopeful that I will win because in 2021 I was not well-prepared or experienced enough to challenge President Yoweri Museveni," he said.
In the 2021 election, Amuriat contested against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and garnered 337,589 votes (3.26%), finishing third. The National Unity Platform (NUP) under Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu came second with 3,631,437 votes (35.08%). Museveni won with 6,042,898 votes (58.38%), according to official results declared by Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama.
Nandala Mafabi
Nandala Mafabi, who has kept a low profile since allegations surfaced that the FDC received over sh7 billion from President Museveni to fund the 2021 campaign, is a professional accountant, lawyer, and legislator representing Budadiri County West in Sironko District.
The FDC has since split into two factions: one under Amuriat and Nandala, and another operating as the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), based at Katonga Plot 6 and led by the detained former presidential candidate, Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye.
Born in Busamaga Village, Sironko District, on January 17, 1966, Mafabi served as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament from May 2011 to January 2014. He first entered elective politics in 2001 when he won the Budadiri County West seat. He was re-elected in 2011. From 2006 to 2011, Mafabi chaired the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament.
