The in-fighting at the Democratic Party (DP) headquarters has spilled over to lower structures with members carrying out parallel elections for grassroots offices.
This was evident in Wakiso District’s municipalities of Nansana and Makindye-Ssabagabo, parts of Masaka and Kampala with physical fights erupting between party president Norbert Mao loyalists and the dissenters.

On Thursday last week, one DP faction attempted to elect new grassroots officials in Nansana Municipality to replace those earlier elected under the guidelines of DP organising secretary for Wakiso District, Mr Silas Kasaato, last month.
However, the attempt was halted after police intervened to quell the clashes between the warring groups.
The expelled party organising secretary, Mr Suleiman Kidandala, accuses Mr Mao of undermining the candidature of Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, of the pressure group, People Power.

“When Mao detected that most of the areas where elections had been held were in support of Bobi’s candidature, he fired me and decided to disorganise structures where we had already done elections,” Mr Kidandala said.
“We know many of our colleagues appear to have been compromised. President Museveni doesn’t want a united DP. The ongoing disorientation and instability will continue,” he said.
Mr Mao was part of the DP and other Opposition leaders who supported Bobi Wine’s presidential bid last year when the latter announced his intention to contest in 2021.

The DP is now split between those who support or do not support Bobi Wine for joint Opposition presidential candidature.
None of the claims has been independently verified.
On Friday, a fight erupted between supporters of Mr Ssempala Kigozi, the Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality MP and DP aspirant for 2021 parliamentary seat, and those of the area mayor, Mr Gerald Lumbuye.

Mr Ssempala’s group besieged the mayor in his office until he was rescued by police.
Mr Ssempala accuses elements within the party of undermining DP’s cohesion for selfish interests. He displayed three different registers, two of which he alleged were issued by the party and another by Mr Lumbuye.
“We won’t allow these few individuals working for NRM to disorganise the party,” Mr Ssempala said.
Mr Lumbuye denied any link with the NRM and vowed that Mr Ssempala’s committees that were elected earlier would be dismantled.

“We must hold fresh elections which are transparent,” he said.
Mr Mao did not answer our repeated calls or reply to our messeges by press time.
The DP vice president, Mr Mukasa Mbidde, yesterday declined to respond to claims against him by some party members.

“I am out of the country, I will come back on Wednesday and answer,” Mr Mbidde said in a whatsApp message.
Mr Kasaato said party elections were completed in most parts of Wakiso District and that repeating them would be illegal.
‘‘Elections must be held under the office of the organising secretary. No one else has the mandate whatsoever to arrange other elections.
“It is surprising that people want to throw out our members and elect NRM supporters,” he said.

2019 clash
Democratic Party (DP) supporters in Masaka District in October 2019 exchanged blows and kicks as the party officials convened a meeting to rejuvenate its lower structures in the area.
Trouble began in the morning hours when youth allied to DP Vice President Fred Mukasa Mbidde attempted to block Masaka Municipality legislator, Mathias Mpuuga’s group, from entering the meeting venue at Masaka Social Centre.
The meeting was organised under the auspices of DP bloc, a coalition of parties and other political groups working together to dislodge President Museveni from power in 2021.
The scuffle left some party members with injuries, but the situation calmed down when police intervened.

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