The newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has officially withdrawn from the 2026 presidential race, citing a lack of trust in the leadership and intentions of Gen. Mugisha Muntu, the leader of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT).
Speaking to journalists in Kampala on Saturday, August 16, 2025, a senior insider from PFF revealed that an internal effort had been made to forge a political alliance with ANT, with the aim of presenting Gen. Muntu as the presidential flag bearer for PFF especially if Dr. Kizza Besigye, the first choice, remains detained or unavailable.
As part of its vetting process, PFF reportedly formed a five-member internal monitoring committee, headed by Kira Municipality MP and PFF Spokesperson, MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, alongside Harold Kaija, Doreen Nyanjura, Mariam Lutale, and Peter Kakembo, to assess Gen. Muntu’s political conduct and ANT’s internal strategies.
According to the source, the committee raised multiple red flags about ANT, particularly the party’s alleged intention to join the Inter-Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) a platform widely viewed with suspicion by hardcore opposition figures.
The committee concluded that ANT’s interest in IPOD indicated compromise, suggesting that Gen. Muntu could not be trusted to lead a genuine anti-Museveni resistance under the PFF banner.
“Any opposition party that joins IPOD is no longer committed to the struggle to remove Museveni. That platform uses government funds. If Muntu joins it, then he is indirectly aligning with the regime,” said Ssemujju Nganda during an internal PFF meeting.
Ssemujju also criticized Gen. Muntu for allegedly prioritizing access to IPOD funding over the values of principled opposition.
“We cannot claim to be fighting Museveni while using his money. Muntu and those who follow that path are not welcome. We are in a liberation struggle, not a negotiation for handouts,” he added.
He further revealed that PFF’s withdrawal from the presidential race was triggered by Dr. Kizza Besigye’s decision not to stand in the 2026 election, leaving a vacuum that Gen. Muntu was initially considered to fill. However, with mounting concerns over ANT’s political direction, the coalition decided to withdraw entirely rather than compromise its values.
As an alternative, PFF briefly considered Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago as a potential presidential candidate. However, Ssemujju stated that the party ultimately resolved to let Lukwago retain his mayoral seat to prevent the National Unity Platform (NUP) from capturing the capital city’s leadership.
“We had to weigh the cost. Handing Kampala over to a comedian from NUP wasn’t an option. So Lukwago remains Lord Mayor, and we step back from the presidential race for now,” said Ssemujju.
The developments highlight growing rifts and ideological divides within Uganda’s opposition, especially concerning cooperation platforms like IPOD, which some factions see as a betrayal of the anti-regime cause.
“We cannot claim to be fighting Museveni while using his money. Muntu and those who follow that path are not welcome,” Ssemujju said.
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