The Democratic Party (DP), the Catholic Church in Uganda and the Unity in Diversity Initiative are holding a function during which they are expected to celebrate the legacy and contribution of the two-time presidential candidate, Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere.

Ssemogerere, the longest-serving DP president, passed on last year aged 90 years. 

The event full of notable political, religious and cultural leaders is being held at Hotel Africana in Kampala and the family of Kawanga in conjunction with Kampala Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere will be the main guests.

Dr Kizza Besigye with Karoli Ssemogerere at the late Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere legacy conference at Hotel African. Photos by Nicholas Oneal

Other guests are former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Dr Kizza Besiege and several political leaders.

Ssemogerere led the Democratic Party in the highly contested 1980 general election which was won by two-time Ugandan president Dr Apollo Milton Obote’s Uganda People's Congress. Ssemogerere and DP stalwarts disputed the result.

The disagreement triggered a civil war in Uganda during which various political actors, including then minister Yoweri Kaguta Museveni took to the bush to overthrow the Obote government.

Museveni founded the PRA (People’s Resistance Army) which would later morph into the NRA (National Resistance Army) for this purpose.