Political transition tops DP-NRM cooperation agreement talks
DP president, Mr Norbert Mao (left) poses for a photo with President Museveni (right) after the former’s swearing in ceremony as the new Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister at State House Entebbe. PHOTO/ PPU
What you need to know:
- Mr Siranda said that one of the main questions will be on their (NRM) stand on the peaceful transition of power because it’s key and the country needs to hear their next step.
After one year and a half of political collaboration between the Democratic Party (DP) and the National Resistance Movement (NRM), both parties are set to meet and assess the progress of the cooperation agreement which was signed in July 2022.
According to the Democratic Party Secretary General, Mr Gerald Siranda, political transition and national dialogue will top the list as they assess the progress of the cooperation agreement.
“Since we were the witnesses of the cooperation agreement, we are set to meet today (Wednesday) with the NRM Secretary General Richard Twodong and come up with the report on our ambitions in the signed agreement,” he said.
Mr Siranda added that one of the main questions will be on their (NRM) stand on the peaceful transition of power because it’s key and the country needs to hear their next step.
He further stated that calling for a national dialogue is clear because the party has been promoting and advocating for it, giving citizens a platform to speak about their issues of national importance.
“We think that it’s now the right time to hear from different partners who are advocating for democracy and change and this cannot be fulfilled when there is no national dialogue,” he said.
He also noted that after the meeting, they expect to engage the chief whips of both parties in parliament basically to assess the situation of the House because some of the things in the cooperation agreement must be seen on the floor of Parliament.
About the agreement
On July 20, 2022, President Museveni and DP’s Norbert Mao signed a working cooperation agreement between the two political parties that will be in place until the 2026 polls.
The signing was witnessed by the Secretary Generals of both parties.
In the signed agreement, the two parties agreed to share political power, and to cooperate in the overall governance agenda and supporting parliamentary votes on matters of confidence and supply for the full term (2021-2026) of this Parliament.
In the agreement, Mr Mao was to be appointed as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs which was done, while another DP leader was to be appointed to a ministerial position.
DP also committed to supporting the NRM government on technical motions in Parliament and in committees provided there is consultation among the parties through their chief whips.
