Mbidde orders for closure of DP offices

Masaka District Democratic Party (DP) Chairperson Fred Mukasa Mbidde has ordered for the indefinite closure of party offices following growing disagreements in the party.
This follows Monday commotion at the office after nullification of Kimaanya/Kyabakuza Division grassroots election results over irregularities.
A section of party members led by Brenda Nambirige, Nalubyayi Zahara and Sarah Namyalo among others filed a petition challenging the election results for Kimaanya/Kyabakuza division citing irregularities in the polls.

However, one of the petitioners Nalubyayi after sensing that the petition could lead to quashing of the results, decided to pull out causing commotion between the members supporting her move and those against it.
Mr Mbidde asked police to close down the offices until members are calm adding that they will be opened up under new rules and regulations.
The development comes barely a day after a brawl ensued between DP leaders in Masaka District on how to resolve pending petitions in the just concluded party grassroots election.

The fight started when Masaka DP chairman Fred Mukasa Mbidde stormed a tribunal meeting arguing it was illegally constituted.
Mr Mbidde, who is also the DP legal adviser, claimed he had powers of attorney of Mr Layrus Mayanja, who had been appointed to chair the panel hearing the petitions. Mr Mayanja was reported to be sick.
This did not go well with some members led by Mr Dick Lukyamuzi, the DP chairman for Bukoto East Constituency, who turned a deaf ear to Mr Mbidde’s claims.

Mr Mbidde, who is also the East African Legislative Assembly legislator, is reported to have been kicked out of the meeting venue prompting him to dash to his vehicle from where he returned with an object which some members claimed was a knife and chased his pursuers.
Mr Lukyamuzi filed a case against Mr Mbidde at Masaka Central Police Station. The southern region police spokesperson, Mr Noah Sserunjoji, confirmed the report.
“Police have received a complaint from Mr Dick Lukyamuzi accusing Mr Mukasa Mbidde of threatening violence and we are investing the matter,” Mr Sserunjoji said. Mr Mbidde declined to comment on the incident.
Factions developed within the DP leadership in Masaka following the April 30 grassroots polls after it emerged that a group that broke ranks with the party in 2010 to form the Suubi pressure group had won a landslide.