PFF newcomer MP Lulume Bayigga ‘sad to leave DP’

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Buikwe South MP Dr Lulume Bayigga has explained his recent defection from the Democratic Party (DP) to the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) political party, where he has taken up a top post.

He was on Tuesday (July 8) appointed one of the four deputy chairpersons of the PFF during its official inauguration as a new political party in Kampala.

He told New Vision on Wednesday that he spent his 30 years of active national politics in DP, mentoring, campaigning and building the image and capacity of its members.

Lulume recalled that when they formed a DP youth wing dubbed the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) in 1995, he was a 5th year student of Medicine and Surgery, and became its pioneer deputy speaker.

He said he was mentored by re-known personalities, including the late Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, Dr Ssebaana Kizito, Boniface Byanyima, Prof. Ebil Ottoo and Prof. Fredrick Ssempebwa, among others.

“In the course of 30 years, I have gathered a lot about the purpose for which the DP was formed [in October 1954], and I know its Constitution and its written and unwritten norms,” he said.

“DP has been a party that gives all people a chance to lead from grassroots to national leadership in the democratic spaces it provides. The culture of being a democratic community would scare away self-seekers from being members of DP because they would look out of place in the first place,” he said.

He stressed that in DP, which is Uganda’s oldest political party, the quality of leaders mattered, and they would be well-groomed members, decent and smart in all ways.

“Honesty, respect for freedom and human rights, respect for procedure, cherished the rule of law, loved one another, and would be careful about their record and quick to account. They were hardworking to meet the party’s existential purpose, not shy to engage and would not be easily swayed by gifts and unprincipled opportunities,” he said.

The MP stated that DP gave him an opportunity to serve as deputy secretary general and as secretary general on the abdication of Prof. Richard Ebil Otto, who was hitherto the substantive secretary general.

“With DP, I was exposed to the world of the centre-right family globally. With DP, I became the party’s vice chairman in the greater Mukono district, and later its chairman of Buikwe district. I mentored many leaders after painting green wherever I led,” he argued.

He also noted that with DP, he became a Member of Parliament, and he has come to know many decent personalities in this country and attracted many friends and enemies too inside the party and in the environment outside it, especially those threatened by what they assume are longer term political goals.

“I sadly observe that the DP I know was overturned long ago. The real democrats are long gone. What has been of the remains are party colours, symbols and slogans. The values are long gone. No more love, no more care, no more openness, no more sincerity, no more honesty and no more truthfulness."

Bayigga said what they see in “Norbert Mao’s DP are more of self-seekers, political dealers, and masqueraders”.

Nobert Mao, minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs and president of the Democratic Party. (File)

“The purpose of acquiring state power is long gone... On May 30, 2025, and the subsequent two days, all Ugandans were anxious about what would come out of Mbarara in the DP national delegates’ conference. They had hoped that the party they respected would lead by example to bring home the desired leadership change,” he said.

He contended that what was observed in that conference was a good example of “a political disgrace” in their times, and in the history of Uganda.

He claimed the camp of the winner of the party’s presidential race (Mao) stole ballot boxes and introduced another presidential ballot box with ballots pre-ticked for its candidate. It was absurd,” he said.

Asked why he never went to court to challenge Mao’s election, Lulume said: “Some of us have been in court over the 2020 Gulu national delegates’ conference, which was declared illegal in its process and therefore its outcome by Justice Philip Odoki in 2022. Hon. Mao, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, never respected the ruling.”

He also said the contempt of court case before Justice Dr Douglas Singiza was “frustrated” by appointing him as chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission, leaving the case undetermined.

“There are many pending applications, in which we have lost colossal sums of money in the legal processes. One would wonder whether, under the same circumstances, it would make sense to go to court and expect different results,” he said.

Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu (left) alongside Buikwe South MP Dr Lulume Bayigga (c). (File)

Lulume also said he shares the pain with which many cadres are leaving DP, they loved and worked for with all their might.

“But to them I say that you only reap what you sow. For those who would like to stay in Mao’s DP and ‘fight from within’, please store enough food to keep you going for at least 15 years. Sadly, there will be no DP to fight for then,” he argued.

For the DP diehards that looked to him as their party’s hope and a saviour, Lulume said he was so grateful for their support, hope and love that have kept him going this far.

“I will provide the needed guidance through the DP-Benedicto Kiwanuka Associates, the formation we have founded to keep us together as we fight ahead, for Uganda that should work for everyone. For those who love Uganda more, please rise quickly and walk out, join forces with more focused groups and parties,” he added.