By Jumah Kakomo
Four leaders of the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) on Monday staged a dramatic protest at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) offices in the Industrial Area, Kampala, demanding answers to petitions filed over alleged irregularities in the Democratic Party (DP) internal elections held recently in Mbarara.
The elections, which saw Norbert Mao retain his seat as DP President General, have come under fire from sections of the party’s youth wing who claim the process was riddled with fraud.
Waving flags and carrying symbolic pumpkins — a reference to DP’s official colors of green and yellow — the UYD leaders were denied entry to the Electoral Commission for nearly 20 minutes before being violently arrested by a joint force of the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Before their arrest, UYD former president and DP Secretary General hopeful, Ismael Kiirya, stated that they had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the IEC to address multiple petitions contesting the legitimacy of the Mbarara delegates’ conference. Kiirya claimed the event was based on a “fraudulent constitution,” which was allegedly forged and never approved at the previous Gulu conference — an action he says violates Article 15, Section 3(b) of the Political Parties and Organizations Act.
More than ten petitions have reportedly been submitted by various district chairpersons and DP leaders, calling for the IEC’s intervention in what they describe as a party leadership crisis.
“Our party is on the brink of collapse. Members are leaving one by one,” Kiirya warned. “The Electoral Commission is empowered by law to take action when parties violate their own constitutions.”
UYD President Michael Mpunge explained their use of pumpkins in the protest as a symbolic representation of DP’s decaying leadership, saying the party’s roots were being neglected. Just moments later, the group was surrounded and forcefully arrested, then taken to an undisclosed police station.
Julius Dumba, UYD Chairperson for Kampala, criticized the IEC for failing to uphold its constitutional mandate of independence and impartiality.
In response to the protest and subsequent arrests, IEC Deputy Spokesperson Paul Bukenya confirmed that the commission had received several petitions related to the Mbarara conference. However, he noted that the commission’s workload has been heavy due to ongoing hearings involving elections of special interest groups.
DP President General Norbert Mao — also Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs — responded by urging UYD members not to be manipulated by “enemies of the party.” He said that while grievances are valid, the IEC is not the appropriate forum for resolution.
“UYD knows where to go for redress,” Mao said. “They are being misled. The IEC is not the right body to address internal party matters.”
Nonetheless, Mao expressed willingness to engage with dissatisfied members, saying the party leadership is ready to meet and listen to concerns arising from the Mbarara Delegates’ Conference, where he was elected for a fourth term.
