Monday, February 24, 2003
Uganda DP's Old Guard Won't Step Down for Youth
By GERTRUDE KAMUZE
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
A MEETING called to reconcile two rival factions in Uganda's Democratic Party last week failed to reach a compromise.
But a committee headed by Member of Parliament Norbert Mao, was set up to find ways to convince Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere and his rival Francis Bwengye to consider stepping down in the interest of the party's future.
DP supporters feel the split in the party could deny it a chance to win the 2006 presidential election.
The meeting, held on February 19, was attended by less than 20 top DP leaders, including Dr Ssemogerere, Mr Bwengye, DP Members of Parliament and Kampala mayor John Sebaana Kizito.
Sources said that the meeting was originally supposed to be held at the home of Morris Paul Kagimu in Rubaga on the outskirts of Kampala, but was shifted after some of the party members said they were not comfortable with the venue. It was finally held at Christ the King Catholic Church Hall.
Mr Kagimu is the son of Benedict Kiwanuka, the first president of DP, who was murdered in 1971 during Idi Amin's reign.
The meeting had been called to press Ssemogerere and Bwengye, the party's former secretary general, to give up its leadership so that a new person, most likely from the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD), could get a mandate to reorganise the party.
Party strategists say that they want to avoid a power struggle in the DP as that would ruin its chances of winning in the 2006 election.
The party split into two factions in 2000 following disagreement on whom to field to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in the March 2001 presidential election. Mr Bwengye leads one faction while the other is loyal to Dr Ssemogerere.
Sources close to the meeting said that Mr Bwengye said he could not step down before consulting the people who had entrusted him with the top leadership of the party.
On his part, Dr Ssemogerere said he first needed to convene a delegates conference.
The party has in the past three presidential elections failed in its bid to take power. In 1980, Dr Ssemogerere stood for elections but lost to Milton Obote. In 1996, he lost to the incumbent, President Yoweri Museveni, who had also lost to Obote in 1980.
In the 2001 presidential election, Col Kizza Besigye, supported by the mainstream DP faction came second to President Museveni, with Mr Bwengye coming second from last.
In recent months, several caucus meetings have taken place aimed at re-energising the party and working out ways for a smooth transfer of leadership from Dr Ssemogerere without splitting the party further.
Many DP members, including former Kampala mayor Nasser Ntege Ssebagala, now studying in the UK, legislator Norbert Mao and Emannuel Wamala Kalule, a Bank of Uganda economist, have gone public about their intention of vying for the presidency on a DP ticket in the 2006 election.
Mr Ssebagala was disqualified in the 2001 elections after the Electoral Commission and Uganda National Examinations Board expressed doubts about the authenticity of his academic credentials.
There have been previous efforts re-unite the two DP factions. For example, in January, the two factions agreed not to register the party under the Political Organisations Act.
Under the Act, which became law in January, all political parties are required to register.
However, none of the four existing parties, Uganda Peoples Congress, DP, Conservative Party and Justice Forum, has registered.
Additional reporting by A. Mutumba-Lule
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