Top DP leaders boycott reconciliation talks
Dec 29, 2009
THE Democratic Party (DP) leaders have again failed to iron out their internal squabbles after a section of them yesterday boycotted a National Council meeting.
By Moses Mulondo
THE Democratic Party (DP) leaders have again failed to iron out their internal squabbles after a section of them yesterday boycotted a National Council meeting.
Top leaders, including the party chairperson, Prof. Joseph Mukiibi, legal adviser Erias Lukwago, spokesperson Betty Nambooze, deputy secretary general Michael Lulume Bayiga and others on the National Executive Committee boycotted the meeting.
“Last week, the party chairman, legal adviser and spokesperson met with (John) Ssebaana (party president) and I. They told me to postpone today’s meeting until all groups have reconciled but they did not specify until when. We decided not to do so because we are running out of time,†the acting secretary general, Mathias Nsubuga, told the National Council members.
The meeting, which was convened at Ssebaana’s Ssebo Beach in Bukasa, Makindye, was only attended by 74 of the 178 members.
The group authorised Nsubuga to issue a notice calling for a delegates conference, which they agreed to hold from February 18-21, 2010.
The meeting also instructed the party’s electoral committee to proceed with the grassroots elections and set January 15, 2010 as the deadline for completing the exercise.
It also resolved that anyone who opposes yesterday’s decisions would be subjected to disciplinary action.
The meeting, chaired by the Pader DP chairman, Leander Komakech, resolved to set up a reconciliation team to be led by Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa and Masaka Municipality MP John Kawanga to mediate among rival groups.
The members expressed concern about the party’s appaling financial situation and agreed to launch a fundraising drive for the Delegates Conference
DP has been rocked by disagreements among its top leaders. A High Court ruling in October nullified the election of Nsubuga as party’s secretary general.
But Ssebaana and Nsubuga petitioned the Court of Appeal against the decision of other top party leaders, including Lukwago and Mukiibi, who had asked Nsubuga to vacate the position for Dr. Bayiga Lulume to act as secretary general.
After the ruling, Bayiga convened a National Council meeting that resolved to take disciplinary action against Ssebaana for refusing to respect the rule of law and for failing to unite the party.
As the row escalated, DP youth, led by Paul Kenneth Kakande, in November chased away Ssebaana, Mukiibi, and Lukwago from the party headquarters where they had called a press conference.
THE Democratic Party (DP) leaders have again failed to iron out their internal squabbles after a section of them yesterday boycotted a National Council meeting.
Top leaders, including the party chairperson, Prof. Joseph Mukiibi, legal adviser Erias Lukwago, spokesperson Betty Nambooze, deputy secretary general Michael Lulume Bayiga and others on the National Executive Committee boycotted the meeting.
“Last week, the party chairman, legal adviser and spokesperson met with (John) Ssebaana (party president) and I. They told me to postpone today’s meeting until all groups have reconciled but they did not specify until when. We decided not to do so because we are running out of time,†the acting secretary general, Mathias Nsubuga, told the National Council members.
The meeting, which was convened at Ssebaana’s Ssebo Beach in Bukasa, Makindye, was only attended by 74 of the 178 members.
The group authorised Nsubuga to issue a notice calling for a delegates conference, which they agreed to hold from February 18-21, 2010.
The meeting also instructed the party’s electoral committee to proceed with the grassroots elections and set January 15, 2010 as the deadline for completing the exercise.
It also resolved that anyone who opposes yesterday’s decisions would be subjected to disciplinary action.
The meeting, chaired by the Pader DP chairman, Leander Komakech, resolved to set up a reconciliation team to be led by Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa and Masaka Municipality MP John Kawanga to mediate among rival groups.
The members expressed concern about the party’s appaling financial situation and agreed to launch a fundraising drive for the Delegates Conference
DP has been rocked by disagreements among its top leaders. A High Court ruling in October nullified the election of Nsubuga as party’s secretary general.
But Ssebaana and Nsubuga petitioned the Court of Appeal against the decision of other top party leaders, including Lukwago and Mukiibi, who had asked Nsubuga to vacate the position for Dr. Bayiga Lulume to act as secretary general.
After the ruling, Bayiga convened a National Council meeting that resolved to take disciplinary action against Ssebaana for refusing to respect the rule of law and for failing to unite the party.
As the row escalated, DP youth, led by Paul Kenneth Kakande, in November chased away Ssebaana, Mukiibi, and Lukwago from the party headquarters where they had called a press conference.