No more infighting in DP, says Mao

KAMPALA-  The Opposition Democratic Party (DP)   has said its new  leadership for the next five years headed by Norbert Mao will rid the party of the endless infighting that has affected its operations.

At the weekend, DP held their national delegates conference (NDC) at Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School in Gulu and the agenda included election of the party presidential flag bearer for 2021 general elections.

Addressing the media at their first press briefing as new leadership in Kampala yesterday, party President Mao said the new leaders share a lot in common and are true believers in the party values.

“The NDC we held in Gulu marked the end of endless wrangles within the party. You will no longer hear the DP president blasting anybody because there is no one to blast anymore,” he said.

He added:  “As DP we believe we are the most credible political party in Uganda. We believe we have most qualified people but many of them  seem to lack self-confidence but  we hope to change their  attitude and learn how to fight their opponents.” 

Mr Mao said for the last 10 years, he has been fighting for DP with one hand because the other hand was fighting his fellow members. 

With the new leadership, he said his second hand is free and able to fight for the party. “We have undergone weight loss in the party and it’s good because you shed off what you do not need. You become lighter, so we expect a stronger DP,” he said.

Mr Mao invited the defectors to return to the party but with caution.
“When we receive people back to the party we draw a line between two types of people-- the misleaders and mislead, obviously we know the misleaders and  there is  no room for them in DP anymore,” he said.

He said of the top 11 party leaders, there are only four remaining, national chairman Mao, vice president Mukasa Mbidde, national treasurer  Kiwanuka Mayambala and the secretary general Gerald Siranda.

The party had planned to hold its delegates conference in April  but was disrupted by the Covid-19 lockdown.