The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bukomansimbi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Democratic Party is entangled in yet another row, following the endorsement of a parallel leadership structure in Bukomansimbi district by Party president Nobert Mao.
The Party president administered the oath for another set of party leaders on Friday, discarding the structures inaugurated by the former party’s Acting National Organizing Secretary Shafick Ddembe.
The new leaders include Bukomansimbi South MP Deogratius Kiyingi as DP District Executive Committee chairperson, deputized by Joseph Muyanja, Pamela Namuyanja as Women leader, Edward Ssekyondwa as Treasurer, Isaac Lwanga as Organizing Secretary, and Muhammad Matovu Kigongo as Publicity Secretary, among others.
The others are the DP constituency executive committees, chaired by Felix Lubwama and Holix Yiga Muwonge for Bukomansimbi South and North Counties respectively. However, their swearing-in has been protested by some party members, arguing that new leadership structure was erroneously created by self-seekers whose interest is to confuse the party.
Norah Eva Birimukatonda, who was also earlier elected and sworn in as DP chairperson for Bukomansimbi district contends that their counterparts were not duly elected by the party members, arguing that these are a parallel structure of self-appointed leaders with suspicious interests.
She argues that some of the sworn-in leaders were defeated in the party grass root elections, while others deliberately stayed away from the process despite being notified in advance. She adds that with such a background, the same group cannot come up to claim any leadership position in the Democratic Party.
According to her, unlike in the other parts of the country, the current divisions in the party had not descended to split the fold in Bukomansimbi wondering how a clique of self-seekers duped the party president to swear them in as genuine leaders. Birumukatonda insists that she has the genuine party leadership structure spanning all levels, vowing that they will continue with their mobilization exercise and candidates’ identification process in total disregard of the new team.
Veronica Nanyondo, the Bukomansimbi Woman MP who was earlier sworn in as DP district woman leader says they will not recognize the new leadership structure instituted on Friday.
Fred Ssekumba, another DP leader in Bukomansimbi argues that the party’s district and constituency committees were dully constituted in July in a process overseen by the National Deputy Organizing Secretary Shafick Ddembe who had been assigned by the DP National Executive Committee to carry out the exercise.
“Our elections were conducted in the open and the party’s National Organizing Secretary accordingly went back with returns to the party headquarters. It’s now that we get to know of another structure being created and secretly sworn in,” he noted.
Joseph Ssengooba, the DP revival Organizing Secretary for Bukomansimbi, argues that their counterparts could only appeal against the earlier constituted leadership other than instigating confusion in the party through what he describes as sham processes. He adds that some of the people in the new leadership structure are known NRM mobilizers who have never defected to the opposition.
However, while swearing in the new leadership on Friday, DP President Nobert Mao noted that the party will not by cowed by dissidents whom he says are just misguided.
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