The newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) has withdrawn from the 2026 presidential race after failing to secure a strong candidate to challenge President Yoweri Museveni.
The party had initially hoped to front veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye as its flag bearer, but he declined, stating that he is no longer interested in elective politics. This left PFF scrambling for alternatives, with Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago also turning down the offer, preferring to remain in his current role.
Speaking on a local radio station earlier today, 15th August 2025, PFF spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda confirmed that the party will not field a presidential candidate.
“We had hoped that Erias Lukwago would take up the role after Besigye declined, but Lukwago said he is more competent and content as mayor than running for president,” Ssemujju revealed.
The party is also struggling to attract parliamentary candidates, with only a handful of individuals expressing interest in running on the PFF ticket. This has raised questions about the party’s viability as a serious opposition force.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has wasted no time in ridiculing PFF’s decision not to contest the presidency. NUP deputy spokesperson Waisswa Mufumbiro dismissed the party as unserious, accusing it of being a distraction rather than a genuine opposition movement.
“So how do they expect to oust Museveni if they don’t want to field a candidate against him? If they don’t believe in defeating him in an election, why didn’t they form a rebel group instead of a political party?” Mufumbiro stated, adding that “It’s clear PFF is just there to disorganise the opposition.”
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