We are ready to engage with Mpuuga's DA, says DP

Democratic Party Secretary General, Mr Gerald Siranda (middle) with party officials addressing the media in Mengo on Tuesday. Photo | SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA.
What you need to know:
- According to DP's Secretary General, Mr Gerald Siranda, the party received an invitation from the Alliance and has scheduled the meeting
The opposition Democratic Party (DP) has confirmed that it will engage with the Democratic Alliance, a new political formation led by Nyendo-Mukungwe Member of Parliament Mathias Mpuuga.
According to DP's Secretary General, Mr Gerald Siranda, the party received an invitation from the Alliance and has scheduled the meeting among its upcoming activities.
"We believe in political engagement and I want Mr Mpuuga and his team to know that we believe in constructive political commitment," Siranda said during a weekly press conference at the party headquarters in Mengo on Tuesday.
He cited DP's track record of political engagement, highlighting their leader Norbert Mao's past engagements with various individuals, including rebel leader Joseph Kony.
Siranda emphasised that the meeting with the Democratic Alliance will happen at the right time, once the party's busy schedules are cleared.
"We had initially planned to meet on January 15th, but all our officials were away from office, so we had to postpone," he said. "At the end of the day, they have something meaningful which can help the country, and we want to engage with the DNA of DP."
The engagement has been delayed due to the busy schedules of DP officials, but Siranda assured that the meeting will take place.
"Me, as Siranda, I have a lot of questions to engage, especially with Mr Mpuuga, to explain the journey since they left DP," he said. "We want to understand their vision, their mission, and their objectives, and how they plan to achieve them."
Mr Siranda also noted that most of the ideas presented by the Democratic Alliance are already included in the NRM/DP cooperation agreement.
"As DP, we are not going to be diverted, but instead, keep in our lane, and we have taken a policy position of dialogue, national unity, and reconciliation with every Ugandan," he said.
The Democratic Alliance, led by MP Mpuuga, has been engaging with various institutions ahead of the 2025/2026 general elections. So far, they have met with Justice Forum (JEEMA), the Electoral Commission, and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The main goal of these engagements is to strategise on how Uganda can regain democracy and achieve change through peaceful transition.
Party program
During the press conference, Mr Siranda announced that the Democratic Party will hold its National Executive Committee meeting from March 5th to 6th. This gathering marks the beginning of the party's preparations for the 2026 elections, setting the stage for a critical period in Uganda's political landscape.