By Our Reporter
In a development that could significantly alter the Democratic Party (DP) landscape in Uganda, President Nobert Mao, who also serves as the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, is reportedly holding covert talks with the party’s Secretary-General, Gerald Siranda. Sources suggest that the two leaders are crafting a controversial plan to impose exorbitantly high nomination fees for candidates vying for key positions within the party’s National Executive Committee.
Insider sources indicate that the proposed fees are as follows:
Candidates for Party President and National Vice President: Raised from 5 million to 20 million shillings.
Candidates for Secretary General and National Chairman: Increased from 3 million to 15 million shillings.
Candidates for Other Heads of Department: Raised from 3 million to 10 million shillings.
Candidates for Deputizing Positions: Increased from 1 million to 5 million shillings.
These steep fee hikes are believed to be a strategic move to limit competition and strengthen Mao’s hold on the party leadership, amid growing dissent over his leadership style. The discussions follow intense opposition during a recent National Executive Committee and National Council meeting in Soroti, where Mao faced vocal criticism from party representatives across the country.
At the Soroti meetings, many party members attributed the DP’s recent struggles and potential collapse to Mao’s controversial cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Museveni, under which Mao has served as a minister. This dissatisfaction led Fred Mukasa Mbidde, Mao’s longtime ally and deputy, to propose a motion for the party to start the process of ending the cooperation agreement. The process is set to officially begin on April 6.
Further fueling the political drama, Bukoto Central MP Richard Ssebamala is emerging as a potential challenger to Mao for the party presidency. There is also speculation that Mbidde, who has been encouraged by influential party elders to enter the race, might make an unexpected bid for leadership.
Meanwhile, the position of Secretary-General Gerald Siranda appears to be increasingly precarious, with the acting party spokesperson and chairperson Uganda Young Democrat (UYD), the Youth wing for DP Kirya Ismael gaining popularity within the party. This has led to questions about Siranda’s future role within the party.
In parallel, the DP parliamentary group is reportedly holding secret meetings to identify a strong candidate who could challenge Mao and revive the party’s once-prominent legacy. As the discussions unfold, Mao and his allies are reportedly exploring ways to disqualify potential candidates, as a last resort, in an attempt to solidify his position raising serious concerns about the legality of such actions under the Democratic Party constitution.
As the party navigates this politically charged atmosphere, the future of the DP will be shaped by the leadership decisions made in the coming days. Observers are closely monitoring the situation, knowing that the outcomes of these secretive manoeuvres could have far-reaching consequences for Uganda’s political landscape.
For now, tensions within the party are escalating, with members anxiously awaiting the unfolding developments that will shape the next leadership contest in the DP.
We spoke with the party’s acting spokesperson, Ismael Kirya, who shared the following:
“As of now, the nomination fees remain the same as they were during the Gulu Delegates Conference. For the President, the fee is 5 million, for the Secretary-General (SG) it is 3 million, and for other positions, it is 1 million each. The only body authorized to change the nomination fees is the National Executive Committee (NEC). However, during the previous NEC meeting in Soroti, this issue was not on the agenda.
Therefore, there are no new nomination fees as some have claimed—please disregard such rumors, as they are not factual.
Regarding the possibility of me becoming the Secretary-General of the party, we can only confirm candidates after the nominations have been made. That being said, I can assure you that I have been groomed to a level where I could even become the president of this party.
So, while I have no objection to serving as the Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, and the position does not have any issue with me, any confirmation will come only after the nominations.”
