Mao Sets Sights on Gulu City East Division Seat, Steps Back from Presidential Bid

DP President Norbert Mao has set his sights on Gulu City East, plotting to unseat Rev. Fr. Charles Onen as his party bows out of the 2026 presidential race

Over the weekend, the Democratic Party (DP) made a major announcement that could reshape its political strategy ahead of the 2026 general elections. The party revealed that it will not field a presidential candidate. Instead, DP President and current Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, will concentrate his energy on mobilizing support for party candidates nationwide while also setting his eyes on reclaiming political ground at home in Gulu City East Division, currently represented by Rev. Fr. Charles Onen.

The decision was formalized during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Pope Paul VI Memorial Hotel in Rubaga. According to officials, the move stems from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in 2021 an agreement that paved the way for Mao’s ministerial appointment.

DP leaders argue that the cooperation deal continues to provide “tangible benefits” for the party, including greater policy influence and a seat at the governance table. In that light, NEC resolved to focus resources on strengthening parliamentary and local representation rather than mounting a presidential campaign.

For Mao, who has contested for the presidency multiple times, the shift represents both a personal and political recalibration. Sources within the party confirm that Mao is preparing to challenge Rev. Fr. Charles Onen, the Gulu City East Division MP, in a bid to return to parliamentary politics. Analysts say such a contest would be symbolic, as it pits Mao a seasoned politician with decades of national influence against Onen, a cleric-turned-politician who has built grassroots popularity in Gulu.

Whether Mao can unseat Onen remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Democratic Party is playing a longer game, betting that aligning with government power structures while consolidating regional strongholds will keep the party relevant in Uganda’s shifting political landscape.