KAMPALA – The Democratic Party is on the verge of collapse as members clash over whether to support Bobi Wine for the joint opposition presidential candidate in 2021, PML Daily has learnt.
This website has learnt that some DP members have received millions of shillings from several sources to ensure that Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, does not receive backing from the party come 2021.
It should be noted that over the last two months, internal bickering in DP has intensified, with members spilt over holding elections of party leaders at the village, parish and sub-county levels. In parts of Kampala, Masaka and Wakiso, the elections have been conducted twice while others have been blocked.
And now it has emerged that the disagreement over the elections are between members loyal to DP president general Norbert Mao and his colleague Mukasa Mbidde, who is the DP national vice president against the other members, who include suspended party organizing secretary Sulaimani Kidandala and several DP legislators, including Florence Namayanja (Bukoto East), Medard Segona (Busiro), Joseph Sewungu (Kalungu West) and Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala). There are also other groups, which are largely silent in the ongoing fight, especially those allied to Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Mukono Municipality MP Betty Namboze.
Sources inside the party have intimated to this website that the elections, originally held under the leadership of Kidandala, were intended to cement the endorsement of Bobi Wine by the party members, most of whom are allied to the People Power movement.
On Monday, March 2, 2020, Kidandala claimed that Mao and Mbidde have been compromised by NRM to disorganize the party’s support for Bobi Wine.
He also claimed that that was the reason Mao sacked him from the position of organizing secretary so that he could nullify the elections earlier conducted in several parts of the country.
“We know many of our colleagues who appear to have been compromised. President Museveni wouldn’t want to see a united DP. The ongoing disorientation and instability will continue,” Kidandala said.
Mr Mao recently lashed out at DP members who he said have had their heads turned by what he called the wave of People Power, likening their act to that of fish that goes with the wave and is subsequently abandoned to die at the shore. This fish, as Mr Mao put it, is called emmome in Luganda.
Last Friday, police had to intervene after supporters of Ssempala Kigozi, Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality MP and DP aspirant for 2021 parliamentary seat, and those of the mayor Gerald Lumbuye. Ssempala’s group besieged the Mayor in his office before police came in to save him.
Ssempala accused elements within the party of undermining the party cohesion for selfish interests.
