Mao: "DP should avoid mantra of regime change"

The Democratic Party (DP) president general, Norbert Mao has said the party has a great opportunity because of the disenchantment the masses have due to those who presented themselves as an alternative but are exposing themselves as office seekers without substance.

“They are like people who issue bouncing cheques. They raised the hopes of the population but failed to deliver. But we can’t blame the voters alone. We also have to blame those who failed to present leaders of substance, ”he said.

Mao's remarks were contained in his message that was delivered by DP national vice president ,Fred Mukasa Mbidde during the party meeting of the National Executive committee (NEC) members, MPs and district chairpersons from the Buganda region last week.

Mao said members must realise that ideas are what make an organisation because voters will elect them not because of the organisations they stand with, but rather what the party stands for.

"We must clarify our historical fundamentals. Our credibility must be beyond reproach on issues like human rights and good governance, on private enterprise and economic prosperity for all citizens, ”he said.

He explained that the party should resist the temptation to reduce its agenda to a mantra of regime change even though they want regime change because regime change is but a means to an end and it is not an end in itself.

He said the fundamentals of change must be crafted, agreed upon and articulated and the party must reach out beyond its traditional core constituencies and historical base.

Here, he said there is a need to speak to the middle class and also to those aspiring to get there and also talking 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. 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," he said.

He said there is no point in being mere commentators without transforming themselves into the party of choice at elections.

"The Democratic Party is the party of ideas. No party beats us in the arena of public policy. Our party needs a think-tank to initiate debate and prepare the policy positions of the party," he said.

Mao stated that the party needs a leadership academy to spearhead a training program for up and coming leaders, adding that as a beneficiary of these training programs he wants more young people to benefit too.