Mao, Siranda kicked out of DP bloc
In this screengrab taken from NTV Uganda, Opposition DP party President Nobert Mao (R) addresses journalists as party Secretary General, Gerald Siranda (L) looks on at Parliament on July 22, 2022.
What you need to know:
- “It is foolhardy that Mao and the DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda contemplate that they serve the interests of the DP bloc and NRM at the same time,” a DP bloc member said.
The DP bloc coalition Friday announced that they have indefinitely kicked out newly approved Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao from the coalition over the signed cooperation agreement with ruling government.
DP bloc is a 2019 formation of three Opposition parties to check the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) which Opposition DP President Mao signed a cooperation agreement with mid-week.
“For long, we have internally endured Mao’s maneuvers and schemes to obstruct the party and the DP bloc from taking effective and decisive actions against the NRM Junta,” DP bloc principle Samuel Lubega Mukaku told journalists in Kampala on Friday.
Mr Mukaku added that the DP bloc that comprises change seekers DP, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and People’s Development Party (PDP) “disassociates itself from the illegitimate and selfish Mao-Museveni deal.”
“It is foolhardy that Mao and the DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda contemplate that they serve the interests of the DP bloc and NRM at the same time,” he noted.
Mr Micheal Lulume Bayigga the MP Buikwe South Constituency, said that DP bloc has taken an uncompromising decision to work closely with organs of DP to effect due processes of relieving Mr Mao and Siranda of their duties in Uganda’s oldest political party.
“As DP bloc we have imposed several sanctions against Mao and Siranda. These include recalling and stripping them off of all honours and awards. They are banned from attending DP bloc and all opposition activities,” he explained.
Mr Bayigga also revealed that current circumstances have forced DP bloc to embark on a reunion of the Uganda Young Democrats and the generation of DP alumni.
“We are going to focus on rebuilding grassroots structures of the DP bloc at home and in the diaspora,” he echoed.
Shortly after he was vetted by Parliament on Friday, Mao said: “The venomous outburst which I heard definitely shows that many of our members have not yet internalized the implications of this agreement.”
