The Democratic Party (DP) has moved to sideline internal dissenters by stripping rebel factions of their powers in several strategic districts.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) will now directly appoint party candidates in areas including Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja, and Greater Masaka.
DP President-General Norbert Mao, addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Mengo on September 2, said the move was necessary to quell internal sabotage and reinforce party discipline.
“This is how we treat rebels who are discouraging our members and wishing for DP to fail,” Mao stated.
“The NEC has taken over the role of naming candidates in dysfunctional branches, and this decision has not been taken lightly.”
Mao, who has faced persistent resistance since assuming the presidency, attributed ongoing internal wrangles to longstanding prejudice rather than his leadership style.
“Since I became president, I have become a problem not because of who I am, but because of where I came from. Some members thought they owned the party and have refused to acknowledge me,” he said.
He further accused the party’s internal rivals of prioritizing anti-Museveni sentiment over building a principled and lasting political agenda.
“What brings these people together is that they oppose Museveni. If they remove him, they will fall apart, because solidarity based only on opposing the NRM is not sustainable,” Mao argued.
The NEC is expected to convene a retreat in the coming weeks to strategize on party structure, resource allocation, and future campaigns.
Mao framed the shake-up as a necessary step in reorganizing and strengthening the DP.
“We celebrate the endorsement of true believers,” he said.
“To achieve our goals, we must free our members from those who are undermining us. There are many opportunities to empower DP, but we cannot achieve them if we don’t suppress the internal opposition.”