DP struggles to mobilize support for Mao in Masaka

Masaka, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   The Democratic Party-DP leaders in Lwengo, Masaka and Bukomansimbi districts are hesitant to embrace the candidature of their party President-General in the forthcoming general elections.

Mao is among the eleven presidential candidates who were nominated by the Electoral Commission to contest for the country’s highest office in the 2021 general elections.

However, the party’s top leadership is struggling to constitute campaign coordination committees for their presidential candidate in districts of the greater Masaka sub-region as more of their lower structure leaders decline to take up the responsibilities in favour of the National Unity Platform’s NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

Several staunch DP leaders who have been with the party have also stepped back and have declined to endorse Norbert Mao’s candidature in the 2021 general elections.  

Charles Fidel Kaboggoza, the DP Vice Chairperson for Kingo Sub County in Lwengo district is among the leader who has declined to support and mobilize for Mao. 

He argues that they were surprised to see their Party President being nominated for the 2021 general elections yet they had earlier agreed to stand behind a stronger presidential candidate.

Kabogozza explains they already took a position and mobilized their supporters to rally behind Kyagulanyi, arguing that it will confuse the electorate and compromise their integrity if they changed their decision to join the DP presidential campaign committees.

Polly Kafeero Ssali, the DP Chairperson for Kiteredde Parish in Masaka, says they are not convinced that their party needed to front a Presidential candidate in the general elections. 

He has challenged the party top leadership to reconsider the decision on Mao’s candidature and focus their efforts towards rebuilding the party which recently suffered the massive defection of its members. 

Kafeero says although he has defected from the party, he will mobilize for NUP presidential candidate. 

Muhammad Kigongo Matovu, the DP party Spokesperson for Bukomansimbi district confirms they are finding it hard to persuade their members into supporting the official flag bearer over the NUP candidate.

He, however, blames the NUP leaders who defected from DP for always badmouthing their former party and its supporters.

Meanwhile, the lower DP structure leaders have joined other senior leaders in the party from Masaka who also publicly declared their support to NUP Presidential flag bearer over Mao. 

Notable among them is the Party National Treasurer and Masaka District Woman MP Mary Babirye Kabanda and Jude Mbabali the Masaka LCV Chairperson; now DP parliamentary candidate for Kimanya-Kabonera who are recently mobilizing support for Kyagulanyi.  

But Denis Lukanga Majwala, the DP Publicity Secretary for Masaka district says they are aware of the challenges and are engaging with all the concerned parties to forge a way forward.  

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