By Jumah Kakomo
A group of members of the opposition Democratic Party (DP), operating under the pressure group DP at Heart, has petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the Electoral Commission, citing concerns over alleged financial mismanagement, missing party assets, constitutional irregularities, and governance challenges within the party.
DP at Heart, a pressure group formed by concerned party members to advocate for the restoration of the Democratic Party’s founding values and principles, presented its grievances during a press briefing held on Saturday.
Led by Uganda Young Democrats Emeritus President Ismael Kiirya, the group accused the current party leadership of presiding over what it described as increasing levels of corruption, abuse of office, and mismanagement of party resources.
Kiirya pointed to the recently concluded National Delegates’ Conference in Mbarara, alleging that despite substantial funds reportedly being allocated for the event, delegates from several regions—particularly the Central Region—were denied meals and accommodation for three consecutive days.
According to Kiirya, the delegates were subjected to difficult conditions allegedly intended to force them to leave before participating in the voting process.
“Despite significant sums reportedly allocated for delegates’ welfare, the funds remain unaccounted for to date,” Kiirya said, calling for an independent investigation into the management of resources during the conference.
The group further alleged that delegates and aspiring candidates were charged inflated nomination fees, only to be removed from delegates’ and contestants’ lists without explanation or reimbursement. Kiirya also claimed that some incumbent leaders neither paid nomination fees nor followed established procedures but were involved in collecting money from ordinary party members.
Meanwhile, Kayunga District DP Chairperson Julius Ddumba raised concerns over the disappearance of a high-capacity printer allegedly purchased by the party ahead of the 2016 General Election at a cost of more than Shs250 million.
Ddumba said the printer was used during the election period but later disappeared under unclear circumstances. He noted that party auditors have repeatedly flagged the matter in audit reports over the past five years without any apparent action being taken.
“These audit reports have been submitted to the party leadership, yet no action has been taken,” Ddumba said.
The group also questioned the legitimacy of amendments made to the party constitution. Anthony Wadimba, the party spokesperson for Lubaga Division, alleged that several clauses were inserted into the constitution during its submission process without approval from the relevant party organs.
Wadimba claimed that the recent National Delegates’ Conference was conducted under a disputed constitution, which he described as fraudulent. He further alleged that although the Electoral Commission declined to gazette the contested document following complaints from party members, the current leadership continues to rely on it in conducting party affairs.
“This has created confusion within the party. We request the Electoral Commission to clarify which version of the Democratic Party constitution is officially recognized,” Wadimba said.
The pressure group also accused the party leadership of failing to convene key party organs, including the National Council, Parliamentary Group, and, in some instances, the National Executive Committee, as required by the party constitution.
According to Wadimba, critical decisions are allegedly being made by a small group of individuals without broader consultation through the party’s established structures.
Additionally, Kiirya alleged that ahead of the 2025 National Delegates’ Conference, the party leadership dismantled grassroots structures across the country, paving the way for the inclusion of what he termed “fake delegates.”
He argued that the party failed to conduct primary elections to vet aspirants, contrary to constitutional requirements, and instead relied on an Election Management Committee that allegedly handpicked candidates based on loyalty rather than democratic processes.
The group also referenced remarks attributed to DP President Norbert Mao, who reportedly stated that the party would not conduct grassroots primary elections because it lacked functioning grassroots structures.
In their petition, members of DP at Heart have called on the Electoral Commission to urgently determine and publicly communicate the valid constitution of the Democratic Party and take steps to restore legality, transparency, accountability, and internal democracy within the party.
The petitioners warned that failure to address the concerns could further deepen divisions and erode public confidence in Uganda’s oldest political party.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Democratic Party leadership regarding the allegations were still ongoing by press time.
