Opposition in DP Rises, Delegates’ Conference Set to Decide Mao’s Fate Members of the Democratic Party opposed to Norbert Mao’s administration have vowed to use the upcoming delegates’ conference to remove him from the party leadership, which he has held for 15 years.
They accuse Mao and the party’s Secretary General Gerald Siranda of attempting to sabotage the process in order to have Mao re-elected through dubious means.
Despite various irregularities in the preparations, they say they are determined to attend the delegates’ conference to push for a change in leadership.
The Democratic Party’s delegates’ conference is set to take place in Mbarara on the 30th of this month.
However, some of the presidential aspirants and those opposed to the DP-NRM cooperation agreement have sounded the alarm, alleging that Mao’s camp is trying to manipulate the process.
They insist they will not back down and have listed a number of irregularities.
Dr. Lulume Bayiga and Richard Sebamala, who are vying for the DP presidency, accuse Mao of taking some party members to Gulu to meet General Caleb Akandwanaho also know as Salim Saleh a move they say was intended to bribe delegates, which violates the DP’s constitution.
’We know what happened in Gulu, and we are not going to allow the DP constitution to be violeted, we know the DP members who were invited in Gulu because we had our people in there’’ Lulu said.
They also accuse party leaders of hiding the delegates list from contestants, saying they were denied the opportunity to know who the eligible delegates are.
The only lists they managed to see reportedly included names of non-DP members and other irregularities.
’We have not been given access to the real delegates list, though we are contesting we don’t know who is going to vote for us’’ Sebamala noted.
The MP for Mityana South, Richard Lumu, says they are prepared for anything that may happen in the name of saving the DP, because they are fully aware that Mao, Gerald Siranda, and their allies are planning to retain power by any means necessary.
He adds that May 30th will determine whether the DP survives or collapses completely, he says this is the day they have to reclaim their party from captivity.
However the DP president General Norbert Mao says he invited over 300 DP members to his home and not leaders as it is alleged.
He adds that he asked for a meeting with General Saleh for the DP members to benefit from Operation wealth Creation like any other Ugandan and the meeting had nothing to do with the Mbarara Delegates conference