|
KAMPALA - Dr Paul Ssemogerere
will not stand as the president-general of the Democratic Party in the coming
party elections.
“I think
I have served much to my capacity; I think there are other capable people to
drive the party ahead,” the long serving DP leader told journalists at
the party headquarters in Kampala
yesterday.
Ssemogerere has been at the helm of the DP since
replacing party founder Ben Kiwanuka in 1972. He
nearly led his party to a national election victory in 1980.
Ssemogerere said that he is mature enough to
step aside for others to rule and serve democrats in Uganda.
He said party elections will be conducted soon in respect to the party
constitution and members’ interests.
He did not
specify how soon the elections would be held. “This is a people’s
party. I would like to associate with their views as we respect our
constitution at the same time,” he said. Ssemogerere
added that having a new party president would help the DP develop new ideas
and acquire more support from the public and international organisations.
He said that
there is no need to resist change in a dynamic world because every generation
comes with new innovations. On factionalism within his party, Ssemogerere said that conflicts are normal.
“Like in
other parties and countries such clashes exist but strategies are laid to
solve everything,” he said. The DP has in the last four years
experienced divisions within the ranks, with Mr
Francis Bwengye setting up his own faction in 2001.
Bwengye declared himself
the party president general shortly before he was nominated to contest the
2001 presidential elections.
The party is
now feverishly working to unify and close ranks ahead of the general
elections in 2006. Meanwhile, Ssemogerere has been
elected the new federal president of the Union of African Parties for
Democracy and Development, an international parties
and associated non-government organisations
foundation.
He was elected
during the seventh Windhoek Dialogue meeting held in Brussels
on April 29.
|
