The Democratic Party (DP), President Nobert Mao will release the list of parliamentary aspirants for the 2026 elections on Wednesday next week,this website has learnt.
According to Mao 230 aspirants have so far applied to contest on the DP ticket, alongside a record number of candidates for local council positions.
“The full list will be out Wednesday, and we left our processes open because, as always, DP has been a political orphanage. We are releasing a preliminary list as we are still receiving applications from new candidates,” Mao said.
He explained that candidate selection is guided by four criteria: “the journey of the candidate, their values, education, and skills.”
“In DP, education is very important because we live in a global world. Our candidates must be able to represent us internationally, not those who spend their time shopping without understanding the issues being discussed,” he said.
“I accept to be the chief campaigner for DP, and I am going to hit the road to face those who have been threatening our candidates. They have no reason to disturb DP candidates,” he added.
The minister urged cooperation with the ruling government in educating citizens about their roles, while condemning threats against DP aspirants.
“Education matters. We need to know people’s skills and academic level, not just pick individuals who have done nothing for the country. The biggest ‘skill’ some people think they have is insulting the government, which is useless,” he added.
He advised those who lost in primaries not to run as independents.
“Contesting as an independent is like driving a car without a number plate — if it crashes, how do you report? The election is ultimately a choice between two people. Candidates should focus on serving all citizens, not just themselves,” Mao said.