Ssemo, Bwengye talking
Nov 16, 2003
THE Democratic Party (DP) president Paul Ssemogerere has said he was in talks with the Francis Bwengye splinter group to resolve the three-year-old leadership dispute that has left the country’s oldest party deeply divided
By John Kakande
THE Democratic Party (DP) president Paul Ssemogerere has said he was in talks with the Francis Bwengye splinter group to resolve the three-year-old leadership dispute that has left the country’s oldest party deeply divided.
Sources within DP yesterday said the Party mediation committee headed by Terego MP Kassiano Wadri had been holding reconciliation meetings with Ssemogerere and Bwengye.
Wadri is chairperson of the DP Parliamentary caucus.
The latest meeting was held at Patrick Musisi’s (Busiro South) residence last Thursday.
Bwengye did not attend the meeting but was represented by MP Zachary Olum, Robert Kitariko and Mariano Drametu.
Sunday Bukedde reported that during the meeting, it had been resolved to convene Party’s National Council next month and Ssemogerere would step down.
But sources yesterday said the National Council was not expected to elect a new Party leadership but instead proposed that Bwengye formally renounces his claim to presidency during the National Council meeting so as to restore the pre-2000 status quo.
Sources said Bwengye had given a condition that he would renounce his claim to leadership if Ssemogerere also agreed to relinquish the presidency. Ssemogerere flatly rejected Bwengye’s condition.
Ssemogerere yesterday said he had held meetings with Bwengye under the auspices of Wadri’s mediation committee. He confirmed that he had also attended the Thursday meeting at Musisi’s residence.
He, however, declined to reveal details.
He said media reports distorted what was discussed and hence not good for the on-going reconciliation talks.
“What was reported in the paper was not a new story. I have said it for a long time that I will not stand again for Party leadership. We are still discussing the issues. There are good prospects that the matters would be settled,†Ssemogerere said.
THE Democratic Party (DP) president Paul Ssemogerere has said he was in talks with the Francis Bwengye splinter group to resolve the three-year-old leadership dispute that has left the country’s oldest party deeply divided.
Sources within DP yesterday said the Party mediation committee headed by Terego MP Kassiano Wadri had been holding reconciliation meetings with Ssemogerere and Bwengye.
Wadri is chairperson of the DP Parliamentary caucus.
The latest meeting was held at Patrick Musisi’s (Busiro South) residence last Thursday.
Bwengye did not attend the meeting but was represented by MP Zachary Olum, Robert Kitariko and Mariano Drametu.
Sunday Bukedde reported that during the meeting, it had been resolved to convene Party’s National Council next month and Ssemogerere would step down.
But sources yesterday said the National Council was not expected to elect a new Party leadership but instead proposed that Bwengye formally renounces his claim to presidency during the National Council meeting so as to restore the pre-2000 status quo.
Sources said Bwengye had given a condition that he would renounce his claim to leadership if Ssemogerere also agreed to relinquish the presidency. Ssemogerere flatly rejected Bwengye’s condition.
Ssemogerere yesterday said he had held meetings with Bwengye under the auspices of Wadri’s mediation committee. He confirmed that he had also attended the Thursday meeting at Musisi’s residence.
He, however, declined to reveal details.
He said media reports distorted what was discussed and hence not good for the on-going reconciliation talks.
“What was reported in the paper was not a new story. I have said it for a long time that I will not stand again for Party leadership. We are still discussing the issues. There are good prospects that the matters would be settled,†Ssemogerere said.