DP’s Mao meets Museveni; ink deal to work together

Opposition Democratic Party president Norbert Mao has met with ruling National Resistance Movement party (NRM)  national chairman  President Yoweri Museveni and inked a deal to work together, the Nile Post has learnt.

According to source knowledgeable about the matter, the  meeting in which the two principals  met at State House in Entebbe on Wednesday morning was also attended by the  Secretary Generals of the two political parties, Richard Todwong for NRM and Gerald Siranda for DP.

Also present for the meeting were lawyers for both parties.

However, the details of the meeting are still scanty.

“What is wrong with working together, " a DP official said on condition of anonymity.

When contacted for a comment on the same matter, DP Secretary General, Gerald Siranda said , " I am still in a meeting. Allow me finish it."

NRM director for communication, Emmanuel  Dombo did not pick out repeated calls to him but we later learnt he was in Kasese canvassing votes for the party candidate in the Busongora South By-election slated for  August, 18,

Background

In the past, DP has been said by many to be in the bed with the ruling NRM party.

For example in the run to previous elections, several DP top leaders left the party to join the National Unity Platform as many claimed the DP president Nobert Mao was in bed with President Museveni and his NRM party.

This also saw words like the "Good DP" and  the "Bad DP" coined.

This stemmed from President Museveni's comments in regards to some opposition party leaders whom he said are "good DP" and this meant that these accepted to work with his NRM ruling party and government at large but blasted the other "bad DP" members whom he accused of being hostile to government.

Speaking at a function a few years ago, Mao said he would rather work with NRM than the "hypocritical" opposition.

Mao said he was  working with the NRM to actualise DP’s objective of taking power.

He expressed frustration with the opposition alliances which in his view have worked against DP.

“FDC and NUP have been telling us that we are the same but they have chopped all our leaders allover so why pretend anymore,” Mao said.

Mao revealed terms under which DP could unite with the opposition.

“If NUP and other parties are serious they should come to the round table and we agree on the goal. Then we shall next agree on what role each of us is playing. That is how DP got into trouble in 1986 without agreeing,” Mao said.