Dr. Kizza Besigye will not contest for any elective position within the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
The decision aligns with his current role as Chair of the Council of Eminent Persons, the highest advisory organ of the party.
The Council of Eminent Persons was established as a neutral, non-partisan body within the PFF to provide strategic guidance, moral leadership, and oversight to the party’s organs.
As Chair, Dr. Besigye is expected to remain above active partisan contests to safeguard the integrity and impartiality of the advisory council.
A source close to the leadership structure of the PFF stated, “Dr. Besigye’s position requires him to act as a custodian of the party’s long-term vision and values. It would be a conflict of interest for the Chair of this council to simultaneously seek political office within the party.”
This development is seen by many as a reaffirmation of Dr. Besigye’s legacy as a transformative figure in Uganda’s political opposition — one who has consistently prioritized democratic principles over personal ambition.
It also sends a strong signal about the PFF’s evolving institutional maturity and commitment to governance structures that separate advisory roles from political candidacy.
Dr. Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and a veteran in Uganda’s pro-democracy struggle, has long been regarded as a pillar of resistance politics.
His transition into a statesman-like role within the PFF could mark a new chapter for both the party and the broader opposition movement.