Democratic Party president Nobert Mao has said that the party shall rise and shine again despite the challenges they faced in the 2021 general elections.
DP suffered a huge blow which saw 10 out of its 15 legislators in the tenth Parliament crossed over to a newly formed National Unity Platform (NUP). They also lost a number of councillors and district chairpersons to NUP.
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The party only recorded nine (9) legislators in the current eleventh parliament, just above PPP which has one parliamentarian in the house.
Now while addressing the press at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday, Mao said that despite these challenges, the party will still rise again.
“Uganda’s oldest party, the democratic party, has a solid social base and a heroic historical mission,” Mao said.
Mao was quick to note that for this to be realised, the party must stick to five things.
“First, we must realise that ideas are what make an organisation. Second, we must clarify our historical fundamentals. Our credibility must be beyond reproach on issues like human rights and good governance, on private enterprise etc,” Mao said.
Adding, “The party should resist the temptation to reduce its agenda to a mantra of regime change. Yes, we want regime change, but regime change is but a means to an end. It is not an end in itself.”
“Third, we must reach out beyond our tradi- tional core constituencies and historical base. We must speak to the middle class and also to those aspiring to get there.”
Mao said that they also need to begin to talk to the electorate, as it will be, not as it was.
“Old messages do not work anymore. We must not churn out party messages as if we were addressing a 1960s electorate. Fifth, we must seek to get elected because the “best government is the best politics”. Those who when given the chance to lead, lead well, will continue to be re-elected again and again,” Mao added.
The DP president said that besides the hostile climate of what he called ‘tyr- anny’ that has thwarted their efforts, there are also internal weaknesses in the party that must be diagnosed correctly and treated.
Going forward, Mao said that he is determined to see that DP lives to enjoy its glory days and will work with a ‘determined’ membership.
Mao said that he is convinced that the party now has a strong nucleus that seeks a rejuvenation of the party as a democratic, united, people’s party.
