Masaka DP split widens as it elects parallel leadership two days in a row

By Wilson Kamukono

The divisions in the Democratic Party, Masaka branch have widened with members electing parallel leadership structures on Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday, a faction led by Fred Mukasa Mbidde , the current Masaka district chairman who is also the vice president of the Democratic party conducted the District Executive Committee elections.

The elections were held at Tropic Inn hotel Masaka which were presided over by Dr Mayambala Kiwanuka, the National DP Chairman in the presence of Shafik Ddembe, the DP National acting Organizing Secretary.

Mbidde bounced back unopposed as the party chairperson of Masaka district deputised by Aisha Nakitende, the councillor representing Katwe parish in Masaka Municipality.

Others elected include Jude Mbabaali as the Secretary general, (unopposed) Eng.Richard Ssebamala  as the party treasurer deputised by Noeline Bakusagira, Dick Lukyamuzi was elected as the party organising Secretary among other positions.

After re-election in office, Mbidde said that his next step is to take a petition to the National Executive Committee to investigate party members accused of illegally utilizing police fuel during General Kale Kayihura's reign as police boss.

"I am accused of all party faults by a clique of goons in the party but now I want to understand the intention of these people.  Why were they receiving police fuel from government, what kind of job were they doing for them to get a fuel reward?" Mbidde wondered.

Mbidde vowed to restore DP's glory so it could return to winning at the polls as it did in 2016 when it snagged most positions in the district.

The fractious battles within the party rose another notch, however, when a group led by the Masaka municipality member of Parliament Mathias Mpuga elected its own district executive leaders on Monday, March 16th.

The elections we conducted by the DP organizing secretary Sulaiman Kidandala.

Florence Namayanja was elected the Masaka district chairman deputized by Robert Sempa, Mathias Mpuuga as the organizing secretary, Babirye Kabanda as the treasurer, Joseph Kasirye general Secretary and Kazibwe Majjerane as the legal advisor among others

Namayaja promised to wow back members who had abandoned the party because they were tired of divisions and infighting caused by opportunistic leaders.

Ignoring talk of his own suspension by DP, Kidandala claimed a court had on March 9th nullified an attempt by some members to present their own register and ordered fresh elections.

Kidandala assert. "Today ( Monday) I was in Masaka to conduct party elections at district level and the team we have elected today is legally accepted by the Dp constitution."

He described the Mbidde led elections as unlawful for failing to follow the party constitution and therefore null and void.