DP to register party members

Democratic Party (DP) is set to roll out a national registration exercise of its members across the country.

According to party president Norbert Mao, the move is intended to establish DP's exact membership in terms of numbers and empower members over party supporters and sympathizers.

He said the modalities and nitty gritty of the mass registration exercise will be worked out by the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) set to meet late this week.

"I expect them to make resolutions on new membership cards so that it can regulate and streamline annual subscriptions and the life membership that will be categorized as gold, silver and bronze. There has been a notion that a life member can afford being errant but all this will be measured in the exercise now but also distinguish between a member and a supporter and his/her limits," Mao said.

He added that the party branches at the district level will have to make recommendations for one to become a member and that new membership cards will be coded with each district having a unique code.  

He said that the NEC will also draw guidelines on party discipline to operationalize the constitutional code of conduct and elaborate on how the disciplinary committee will work.

The development comes against the backdrop of disciplinary summons against about 14 party members, including those that defected to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Mao's leadership has in the recent past been on the spot over differences within the ranks.

Consequently, a fortnight ago, Police blocked a meeting organized by vice president for Buganda region, Betty Nambooze, after complaints from Mao that it was illegal.

The clash has since opened old wounds and subsequent bitter exchanges over the leadership.

Tasked on when the disciplinary committee meeting that he announced for April will seat, Mao said; "there is no rush for disciplinary action to be taken."

He said the due process should be allowed to take course; otherwise they risk being viewed as trying to muzzle criticism and dissenting voices.