Besigye’s new political party finally gazetted
The portrait of Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye is displayed during a press conference at People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party offices at Katonga Road. Photo | Abubaker Lubowa
What you need to know:
- Mr Harold Kaija, the party's secretary general, said the gazzettement is a huge milestone
The People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party, a brainchild of imprisoned veteran politician, Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, has finally been gazetted, ending speculations of not being registered, ahead of the 2026 polls.
Speaking to this publication on Friday evening, the jovial PFF Electoral Commission Chairperson, Mr Michael Kabaziguruka who was accompanied by the Party’s Secretary General, Mr Harold Kaija and a host of party members who gathered at Katonga Road-based offices, said gazetting the party is an indication that they are on the right path of having PFF registered.
“The Electoral Commission had already communicated to us. The hard copy of the gazette is in our possession. The step we have taken today of appearing in the Uganda Gazette is a further testament to the fact that we have fulfilled all the requirements to be registered as a political party,” Mr Kabaziguruka said, adding: “ We assure the country that we are on course to have PFF registered as political party under the Political Parties and Organizations Act. We look forward to the issuance of the certificate after the gazette period of 14 days.”
According to the Political Parties and Organisations’ Act, the Electoral Commission shall a notice of the application to be published in in the Gazette within 30 days after receiving it, inviting objections from any person concerning the name, aim, objectives and Constitution of the Political Party or on any other lawful ground and specifying the time, not being longer than 14 days, within which the objections must be submitted.
Mr Harold Kaija, said the gazzettement of the party is a huge milestone.
“Some people were doubting that PFF would be registered, not knowing that Katonga is a centre of the best brains in this country. We knew every hurdle and we prepared ourselves. Some people suggested to us that we register it under other parties but, we insisted on registering in the open. We will get there,” Mr Kaija asserted.
Meanwhile, Mr Kabaziguruka says the interim party leadership continues to mobilise supporters as they await a registration certificate.
“We are moving ahead. The certificate will get us along the way. Once we have the certificate, we shall launch the Party, structure it and have leadership at all levels leading to a delegates conference. Right now, we are all in the acting capacity, but once the party is registered, we shall structure the party according to the constitution, have the new leadership in place to steer the party to the next level,” he said.
He called upon members and Ugandans at large, to join what he termed as the freedom network, noting that the PFF party's symbol is the phone.
"We can be reached and we can reach you at all times as reflected by party symbol of a mobile phone."
Early this week, officials from the PFF told reporters that the process of registering their political party was done, only awaiting EC gazette and to issue the certificate of registration.
The head of the steering committee of the promoters of the PFF, Mr Philip Wafula Ogutu said the EC informed them that they had finalised the process of registering them as a political party and that they would be gazetted soon.
“We got a report from the Electoral Commission on Friday, we are compliant. We have everything that they want. We have fulfilled. We are waiting for the Electoral Commission to Gazette us, and they told us they are going to gazette us this week,” Mr Ogutu told journalists during a weekly presser held at Katonga .
He challenged members to be hopeful of the new party and asked t them to take advantage of elective positions and also recruit more members.
“We have reached this far. We are calling upon you, ladies and gentlemen, to go and find candidates. They are going to get PFF flags. We are compliant, we are going to be registered. We have done a lot of work.”
The interim president of PFF Mr Erias Lukwago, also re-affirmed that the group had finalized all the process of registering as a political party.
“If PFF is a plane, we are on the runway, and once you are on the runway, no turning back, the only thing you have to do is to take off,” he said.
the Electoral Commission (EC) said the registration PFF pressure group into a political party had not been completed.
Mr Julius Mucunguzi, Electoral Commission Spokesperson confirmed this week that the application would be published in the Gazette, upon receiving a complete application.
Background
The PFF, which seeks to be registered as a political party, was birthed by the breakaway faction of the embattled Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The members, including the currently detained Dr Kizza Besigye, broke away from FDC after they accused the party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, and the Secretary General, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, of reportedly bringing dirty money from President Museveni to the party during the 2021 general elections, the allegation duo has since denied.
The group convened a National Delegates’ Conference in Kampala in August last year, where they resolved to dissolved FDC and form a new political party through which they will overthrow Mr Museveni from power.
