NEWS EDITOR
DEMOCRATIC Party members of Parliament from Buganda led by Busiro East legislator Medard Lubega Sseggona have officially waged a war against Party President Hon. Nobert Mao announcing, this comming weekend they will launch a National wide campaign against this former Gulu district chairman!
In their press conference today, Sseggona and other Buganda DP MPs offended Chairman Mao on issues of financial and political accountability saying he has frustrated the functioning of all Party organs like the Parliamentary Group and the National Council and is instead of late, running the Party on executive decrees which have no space in the realms of the Party Constitution.
Mao has however shot back at Sseggona and group saying, “The demands for accountability by these MPs is only of nuisance value.”
Mao has said, “Unfortunately, the press conference was top heavy with those who have perennially undermined the party and its leadership. They now claim to care for the party because we who have been at the helm and who never abandoned it have rebuilt it and given it value.”
“Many of them thought they were indispensable. Fortunately the party has moved on and become stronger in spite of their efforts to kill it. The current leadership of the party have revived the party brand.”Says Mao.
“We urge the MPs to desist from promoting violence and hooliganism in the party and threatening the life of party leaders. We also urge them to stop the baseless smear campaign against party leaders.” Mao responded to a statement released by Hon. Sseggona in the presence of; Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality), Hon. Joseph Gonzanga Ssewungu (Kalungu West), Hon. Ssempala Kigozi (Makindye Ssaabagabo), Hon. Florence Namayanja (Bukoto East) and Hon. Veronica Nanyondo (Bukomansimbi).
Others in attendance were: Sam Lubega Mukaaku, Kenneth Paul Kakande, Sam Muyizzi, Michael Mabikke, Sulaiman Kidandala, Dr. Abed Bwanika, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, Vincent Mayanja, John Mary Ssebuufu, Henry Lubowa and others.
DP ‘REBEL’ MPS’ FULL STATEMENT
The Democratic Party Constitution conforms to Article 71 of the Constitution of Uganda which provides for both Political and Financial Accountability which are benchmarks of any good leader and good governance.
The Democratic Party Constitution is very clear on internal democratic mechanisms, democratic practices and it has since inception been a nurturing text for leadership and constitutional governance in Uganda.
Most recently, members of the DP Parliamentary Caucus requested for financial accountability from the leadership of the Democratic Party.
Now therefore, we are here to seak for Political accountability togather with a larger spectrum of the leadership structure of our mighty Party.
We have noted the concern within our ranks and file and the general public about the current political crisis brewing inside the Party leadership which is largely attributed to the lack of respect to the Constitution of the would be guardian, the Hon. Nobert Mao and his self-centred faction of leaders.
We are dismayed that:
* The Party President has avoided the important requirement for him to account for Party funds and resorted to rebuking all and sundry who dare raise a finger in this direction.
* The Party President has undermined the role of the National Executive Committee, he has frustrated the functioning of all Party organs like the Parliamentary Group and the National Council and is instead of late, running the Party on executive decrees which have no space in the realms of the Party Constitution.
* The Party President has responded to members’ agitation for political accountability by surrounding himself and the Party offices with daily Miltary, police and militia presence.
* The Party President has hijacked the Party restructuring and leadership renewal process and introduced a sham electoral process with a view to benefitting his personal ambitions at the expence of the majority democratic processes within the Party.
* The Party President and the clique around him have constituted himself into a tribunal presiding over issues pertaining to all structures from the village, Parish and District branches in direct contradiction with the Party devolved structural powers.
* The Party President is quickly eroding the hope, gains, momentum and leadership hitherto restored by the DP Reunion and DP BLOC endeavours towards a united and vibrant Party.
* The Party President has most specifically seized the powers and roles of the other office bearer and organs of the Party and increasingly relies on cliques in the running of the Party affairs whereupon he has arrogated the powers of National Organizing Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity to his cronies.
* The Party President has unlitrerally changed the decision of the last National Delegates Conference to hold the upcoming National Delegates Conference in Western Uganda and changed the venue to Gulu.
*The Party President has unliterally pronounced at a press briefing that he has changed the road map and dates of the delegates conference contrary to the decission of the Party structure.
The above actions have sunk the Democratic Party into a crisis that is pitying the Mao led clique against the majority leaders, memyers, organs, branches and sub-branches to the detriment of the Party.
As key leaders and stakeholders in DP, we shall not idly look on as the stuation further deteriorates and wish to assure the entire DP fraternity that we shall stop at nothing in ensuring that order and sanity returns.
In this vein, we now wish to make the following demands:
1. We demand that Mao respects the Party Constitution and Organs. The current crisis in the party is largely fuelled by unconstitutional and selfish actions of the party president. We demand that Hon. Mao desists from his gross violations of the Party Constitution and decisions of the Party Organs.
2. We reject the purported suspension of Sulaiman Kidandala as the National Organizing Secretary
3. We demand a stakeholders’ meeting involving members of NEC, National Council, Party elders, all MPs, DP BLOC leadership, UYD leaders, women and locall government leaders.
4. Emergency National Council to resolve it’s pending agenda and the controversy surrounding the restructuring program of the Party.
5. Issuance of Party cards.
STOP YOUR POLITICAL GAMES – MAO
In his response to issues raised by Hon. Sseggona and his group, DP Party President “I have seen the statement by DP MPs, faction leaders accompanied by leaders of cooperating parties of the DP Bloc. The statement demands financial accountability! We believe that MPs are merely playing politics.”
“Their demands for accountability was fully addressed. The National Treasurer is the principal signatory to all party accounts. And she sits in parliament!” Said Mao, clarifying that, “DP has a Finance Committee which is also in charge of procurement. We have a full time accountant. The party accounts are regularly audited. So the demands for accountability by the MPs is only of nuisance value.”
Mao said during the last National Council Meeting, the National Treasurer invited all interested leaders to come to party headquarters to inspect books of account including bank statements and that invitation still stands.
As for political accountability, Mao says, “We take decisions through the organs of the party. Accountability has to be mutual and across the board. We all have to be accountable.”
“On the venue of the next National Delegates Conference, the decision was taken transparently by the appropriate organ. The suggestion that the last Delegates Conference had agreed on Mbarara is totally false and baseless. The only meeting which was scheduled for Mbarara was the National Council. That was however later changed.” Revealed Mao adding that, “On some of the opinions expressed about NEC decisions we acknowledge them but advise the MPs to note that they do not have a veto over NEC decisions.”
Mao however welcomes the proposal for continuous dialogue to deal with conflicts in the party.
“We are committed to principled dialogue. We also recognize the right of the MPs to disagree with the party leaders but disobedience will attract disciplinary measures. We can accept disagreements. We will not tolerate disobedience, indiscipline and blackmail.” Warns for Gulu Municipality legislator.
IS THIS THE REBIRTH OF SSUUBI/TJ?
A top DP learned counsel has advised the Party to rubbish Sseggona and group threats.On one of DP platforms he has written; “No need to worry, just ignore and the Party move on. It’s the usual politics towards DP Delegates conference. SSUUBI and TJ made even more deadly demands but to no effect.”
“What sat was not the DP Parliamentary group as Abed Bwanika and others are not members. We have no such organ as the DP BLOC in our Party Constitution, it was just a temporary political slogan without powers to order DP against its decisions.” Says a top party leader.
He adds, “A petition for convening National Council is done solely by members and not leaders of other parties like PDP or SDP. The functions of the parliamentary group are located in Parliament, it’s not an administrative party organ in DP. Let them be educated.”
Functions of DP Parliamentary Group are;
a) to work out strategies for implementing the policy of the Party in the National Assembly
b) to consider and deal with all business of the National Assembly
c) to publicise police decisions of the Party
d)to keep watch on the activities of the Government of the day and tender advice there on to the National Executive Committee for action.
