The Democratic Party (DP) is facing renewed internal strife after a faction of its district leaders petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) over the outcomes of the recently concluded delegates’ conference held in Mbarara.
The petitioners are demanding that the commission halt the gazetting of the newly elected party leaders, claiming the process was marred by irregularities and lacked legitimacy.
Led by Sami Gilbert, a former contender for the DP chairmanship, the disgruntled group submitted a formal petition to the EC addressed to its Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama.
The document, delivered on Monday, bears the signatures of 89 DP district chairpersons out of the party’s 152, all of whom reject the election results.
“We cannot allow this kind of manipulation to stand,” Gilbert said. “The delegates’ conference in Mbarara was marred by irregularities, and there was no truth and justice.”
The petition argues that the Democratic Party currently has no legitimate top leadership and calls on the Electoral Commission to intervene by not recognising the individuals elected during the conference.
The petitioners maintain that the process violated the party’s constitution and was conducted in a fraudulent manner.
Samuel Kiyingi, the Principal Elections Officer at the EC, who received the petition on behalf of the commission, assured the group that the matter would be brought to the attention of Justice Byabakama.
He noted that preparations for the 2026 general elections are ongoing, making timely resolution of such disputes critical.
The petitioners have also declared they will not recognise the leadership of Norbert Mao and his associates, further deepening the rift within Uganda’s oldest political party.
Some members have already taken the matter to court, seeking legal redress over what they describe as an unconstitutional takeover of the party leadership.
In response to the petition, Kennedy Mutenyo, head of electoral affairs in the DP and the official who oversaw the Mbarara elections, defended the process.
“While they are free to express their dissatisfaction through formal channels, we followed due process and the election was conducted in accordance with party guidelines,” Mutenyo said.
The fallout from the Mbarara conference threatens to destabilize the party further ahead of the 2026 elections, with factions forming and trust in the party’s internal electoral processes now under serious scrutiny.
Whether the Electoral Commission or the courts will intervene remains to be seen.