DP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MAO AT GLANCE

DP Presidential Candidate Nobert Mao has changed the image of the party because of the following attributes that has made him stand out in the first week of the campaing. Mao is currently winding up the Eastern tour is the youngest candidate but represents the oldest party DP in the 2011 presidential elections.
Mao is also the only candidate who has a track record of winning right from Namilyango college where he Head-Prefect, Makerere University Guild President, two time MP representing Gulu municipality and now currently Chairman Local government Gulu District.
Mao has always overcome being an uderdog to election victory by trouncing prominent figures like Brig. Noble Mayombo (R.I.P) for Makerere Guild President, Hon. Betty Bigombe for MP Gulu Municipality and Col. Walter Ochora the latest casuality to Mao's bid of becoming Gulu District Chairman.
Mao also represents a generation of youth mainly those born after the 1966 crisis in which the central government stormed the Kabaka's palace and led to the introduction of the politics of the gun and instability.
Mao's candidature is also symbolic of civilian rule in a situation where Uganda has never overcome the trauma of military dictatorship. Uganda still remains one of the few countries that have never had a peaceful handover of power and Mao has done a lot to instill confidence in Ugandans that government can be changed through the power of the ballot.
Mao who is a lawyer by training has mixed parantage with a munyankore mother and an Acholi father yet his ability to speak Luo, Luganda, English and Runyankore makes him multi-lingual and a candidate who can easily bridge the South and the North in Uganda.
After successful nomination as DP Presidential candidate, Mao addressed a mammoth crowd at his inagural rally at Kawempe Growers ground in Kawempe.

He later campaigned in Luweero where he told the residents that he's the only candidate without blood on his hands. Mao thinks that the movement is equally quilty of the killings in Luweero arguing that in a war, the one who wins should have killed more, likening it to football in which the one who scores more goals carries the day.

At another rally in Matugga, Mao told residents that Museveni was forced to switch back CBS unconditionally targeting Buganda votes but after the elections, he would not hesitate to switch it off and this time might take longer to switch it back.
On his second day of campaigns in Makindye Kampala, Mao paid a visit to the former DP President Paul Kawanga Semogerere and later addressed rallies in Makindye division.
Mao particulary warned the Baganda against the IPC-SSUUBI deal saying its a Kiwani (fake). Mao reasoned that as a lawyer, the genuine agreement should be signed by the Katikkiro and Attorney General Apollo Makubuya. He wondered whether if Mayanja Nkangi who was a former Katikkiro also signed a similar agreement with Museveni, that would be binding?
The next leg was in Mayuge where he attacked NRM as party that blocks talent in reference to Bukenya's failed bid to become NRM secretary Genera. Mao applauded DP for giving him an opportunity to take over from Ben Kiwanuka, Kawanga Semogerere, Sebaana Kizito and now himself all based on merit.
Mao also named his campaign team headed by former President General Sebaana Kizito and Kyadondo South MP Issah Kikungwe as campaign manager.
Mao completed his week with mamoth rally in Mbale, the very place he was elected last year as a DP flag bearer. So to him, it was like homecoming.
Mao has also made efforts towards reconciliation within DP. His visit in the company of the Cardinal to former President General Kawanga Semogerere has started to bear fruits with the of senior council JB Kakooza, who formerly belongs to the anti-Mbale and founders of Ssuubi 2011 returned to the fold and will soon be nominated as the DP candidate for Kampala City Mayor

MAO CRITICISES EC ON VOTERS CARDS

Democratic Party president Nobert Mao yesterday criticised plans by the Electoral Commission not to issue voters’ cards ahead of next year’s general elections.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by a democracy advocacy agency, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) in Kampala on Thursday, Mr Mao said his party will not buy the national electoral body’s idea.EC chairman Dr Badru Kiggundu had earlier been tasked by Doboozi editor-in-chief Kalungi Serumaga to explain why the EC has decided not to issue voters cards.
Kiggundu urges
In a separate interview, Dr Kiggundu told Sunday Monitor that the voters will only be required to present themselves at the polling stations and their details will be confirmed then.
Dr Kiggundu, however, said those already having the cards should carry them along to their polling stations on the voting day. However, Mr Mao castigated the move by EC as a ploy to manoeuvre the electoral process and leave loopholes for open rigging of votes. He said he will seek audience with the EC to get clarity on how the voting exercise is to be carried out without voters’ cards.
“The EC has no excuse not to issue voters cards because a German firm [Muelhbauer High Tech International] was contracted to process the cards for all Ugandans who are eligible to vote,” Mr Mao said

NOBERT MAO SLAMS NRM ELECTION SLOGAN

THE Democratic Party presidential candidate, Nobert Mao, has described the ‘Pakalast’ NRM slogan as blasphemy against the supremacy of God. Addressing a rally at Manjiya trading centre in the newly created Manjiya District on Thursday, Mao stressed that only God merits the honour of ‘Pakalast’ since he is the sole author of life. He said though the ruling party is using the slogan to perpetuate dictatorial rule, God is in charge of Uganda’s destiny.

DP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN NOMINATED FOR JINJA MAYOR

Jinja mayor Baswari Muhammed Kezaala was yesterday among the first candidates nominated to contest for the post in 2011. Mr Kezaala, a member of the Democratic Party, was accompanied by the district party chairman Sam Kitanda to Busoga Square where nominations took place.
He said he is seeking re-election so that he accomplishes a dream of making Jinja a city. The Jinja central division speaker, Mr Andrew Kasigwa, was also nominated for the same position on the FDC ticket.
Mr Kasigwa said he will revamp the deteriorating education standards in the municipality once he is voted mayor. Mr Majidu Batambuze, an NRM candidate, will be nominated today for the same seat.

NRM PARTY BLOCKS TALENT SAYS MAO

The Democratic Party presidential candidate, Mr Norbert Mao, has described the National Resistance Movement as a static party that does not provide an opportunity for people to contest for higher positions in the party.Addressing Bududa residents yesterday during the second day of his tour of Bugisu sub-region, Mr Mao said the NRM does not choose leaders on merit and lacks new ideas to govern the country.
Referring to the NRM as a grass-thatched house where the owners cover themselves with old sacks for blankets, Mr Mao said it would be self defeating for one to enter the hut and ask for a blanket.
He said when Vice President Gilbert Bukenya entered the house and asked for a blanket he was shown the exit, and that to date, Mr Bukenya knows where he belongs and that to survive the house, he has had to cover himself with a dry sack like others.
“A party that does not open gates for others to stand on merit is not only doing a disservice to Uganda but also killing the potential in the would-be good leaders. DP had late Benedict Kiwanuka, Dr Kawanga Ssemwogerere, then came Mr Ssebana Kizito and now the gates are open for Mr Mao, a young man like most of you to take on the leadership of the party. This is what a national party is supposed to be,” said Mr Mao as the crowd shouted “Obama, Obama”.
He revealed that although Prof. Bukenya and the Minister of Trade, Mr Kahinda Otafiire are quite, they have been shown that in NRM you don’t just jump in and start armtwisting people to change the course of things.
He said President Museveni’s polices, the rampant corruption and high taxes have made Ugandans poor, adding that the DP will address these problems.

DP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MAO TO FIGHT ELECTION MALPRACTICE

By Daniel Edyegu
THE Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate, Nobert Mao, has told the people of Bufumbo County in Mbale district that he will use people power to win next year’s elections. This was after the residents challenged him on Wednesday about what he would do about voter intimidation and rigging. They cited the 2001 and 2006 elections that were marred by intimidation of voters. Mao urged the electorate to guard their votes without fear of intimidation. As a presidential candidate, Mao said he had only one ballot that would not yield much impact if the electorate did not guard against election malpractice. “We are aware of the possibilities of intimidation and have discussed ways of handling them. If Electoral Commission Chairman Badru Kiggundu attempts to manipulate these elections, I will call you to the streets and we will count the voters, not ballots. “If that fails, then Museveni will remain the president of the ballots and I will be that of the people,” Mao said. Earlier, Mao met Muslim leaders at a mosque on Republic Street. Thereafter, he proceeded to Bufumbo sub-county for his first rally in the district. Residents wielding hoes, the DP party symbol, lined the roads and chanted: “Mao oyee! DP oyee!” Most of them demanded for posters and Mao’s t-shirts, which were in limited supply. “Tuuwe ku posters (give us posters)”, they yelled as the convoy snaked through villages. Mao later addressed rallies at Nakaloke sub-county and Naboa road in Industrial Division, Mbale town. He told the residents that Museveni’s rhetoric of coercing the electorate to return him to power could no longer stand. “He (Museveni) used to intimidate people, saying if you didn’t vote him, he would go back to the bush. Museveni can’t manage guerilla life anymore. He’s aged and used to soft life. The last time I saw him illustrating military drills, he was taking cover on a mattress. Where will you get the mattress in the bush?” Mao asked. “Besides, he used to tell people that if you vote him out, Joseph Kony (the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel leader) would wreak more havoc. I went to the bush and sought dialogue with Kony. Now that he’s out of way, I don’t know what excuse Museveni will give,” Mao wondered.

DP UNVEILS CAMPAIGN TEAM

DEMOCRATIC Party (DP) presidential flag-bear Norbert Mao on Tuesday unveiled the team that will spearhead his campaigns countrywide. The former party president, John Ssebaana Kizito, will head the team as the national chairman with the Kampala deputy mayor, Florence Namayanja, as vice-chairman and Deo Njoki as research coordinator. The party secretary, Mwaka Lutukomoi, on Tuesday said: “This campaign will be about marketing ideas and issues and not lies or name calling, as has been witnessed before.” Other members of the team include MPs Issa Kikungwe (campaign manager), Mathias Nsubuga (finance), Sarah Nsigaye (communications manager), and Makerere guild president Shaban Ssenkubuge (head of youth mobilisers). John Baptist Kawanga and Ssebuliba Mutumba are in charge of Buganda region, while Dr. David Dronyi and Joe Nam are for the northern region. Eastern region has Mayor Basware Kezaala (Jinja) and Raphael Okoropot, while Robert Bob Kitariko and Herbert Rutagwera head the campaigns in Western region. Maxensia Takilambule is in charge of the Women league.

KYADONDO EAST DP CANDIDATES NOMINATED

The DP Parliamentary candidate for Kyadondo East Julius Nsubuga and Nangabo Sub-county candidate Experito Musisi waving the DP symbol of a hoe after being nomited at Nangabo Sub-county Headquarters

MUSEVENI LOVES GOOD LIFE TOO MUCH

President Museveni can never go back to the bush to fight if he lost the 2011 polls because he is now used to the good life, DP president Norbert Mao has said.Mr Mao said the President enjoys walking on red carpets, delicious meals and living in air conditioned houses. “He would prefer going back to Rwakitura than going to the bush again to fight,” he said.
Mr Mao, while addressing rallies in Busia District, advised President Museveni to retire to avoid getting “a humiliating defeat”, saying he had failed to address essential needs of Ugandans.
He cited the high cost of education, high unemployment, rampant poverty and high taxation, as factors crippling the country’s development. “Our people are dying of poverty which is rising each day in the countryside and maternal mortality is high due to poor and inadequate antenatal care,” he said.
While addressing rallies in Bufumbo, Nakaloke and Mbale municipality, Mr Mao said he would ensure civil liberty, reconciliation, peace and equal justice.The DP president said he will also give subsidies to farmers at the grassroots to help them improve their productivity and scrap taxes on essential commodities
Funding Agriculture
Mr Mao said he will increase funding for agricultural sector from the current 3.8 per cent to 12 per cent. He said the revival of cooperatives to boast the sale of agricultural products and increase incomes of the rural farmers, will also be on his agenda. He said he would pay a living wage to all civil servants to improve their living conditions.
“For the last 25 years President Museveni has done nothing for Ugandans apart from lifting the presidential term limits and impoverishing Ugandans. Then he tells people NRM and Museveni “Paka last”, this is not only abominable to Ugandans but blasphemous because it is only God who is ‘Paka last’. Is he above God?” he asked.
Mr Mao promised to build a strong road network countrywide, revive the railway line, water transport and build quality infrastructure.

DP TO REPORT NRM TO THE POLL BODY

The Democratic Party has said it is writing a complaint to the Electoral Commission over the conduct of the NRM during the launch of its manifesto.
On Tuesday, the Inter-Party Cooperation, DP and the Uganda Peoples Congress expressed outrage over the presence of security chiefs and public servants at the NRM manifesto launch, calling this a clear case of partisanship contrary to the law and Constitution. The ruling party, however, remains unapologetic for its actions.
Expressed apprehension
The opposition has since expressed apprehension that the army and police will act in a partisan manner in the forthcoming general elections.Speaking to Daily Monitor, DP deputy spokesperson John Paul Kakande yesterday said the party was concerned that the NRM was compromising security forces in the run-up to next year’s general elections.
“We intend to write to the Electoral Commission expressing our dissatisfaction at NRM’s conduct. We want the EC to know that we have noted this partisan behaviour and intend to amplify it to see if they will take action,” Mr Kakande said. EC spokesperson Willy Ochola had on Tuesday advised that any aggrieved parties file a complaint upon which the elections body will institute an investigation into this perceived breaking of the laws and infringement on the principle of free and fair elections.
The DP will find it uplifting to discover that the Forum for Democratic Change, one of the four IPC partner parties, is also taking some action in the matter. “We have begun keeping record of all these things happening all over the country,” FDC spokesperson Wafula Oguttu said yesterday.
“All this will act as evidence in future petitions over malpractices.” But Mr Ofwono Opondo, the NRM deputy spokesperson, yesterday flatly rejected accusations that his party was encouraging partisan politics by inviting security chiefs to the launch of its manifesto on Monday.
Speaking to the Daily Monitor, Mr Opondo called the claims “complaints based on ignorance, under a veil of fear and uncertainty.” “We invited all the opposition party leaders. UPC, DP and FDC did not turn up but all the other opposition leaders came. The public was also invited together with diplomats, NGO heads and senior government officials because they would be the ones to digest and criticise the manifesto,” he added.
Seen in uniforms
“Didn’t Ugandans see them in their uniforms? This is because they were invited in their official capacity representing the institutions they head, not as NRM cadres. It was an invitation not an order. Those who did not want to come did not come.”
In response to Mr Kakande’s fears that “how can we expect to be protected by the law if it belongs to one party,” Mr Opondo said his party was not controlling any security outfit.
“We pay for using UBC and even Kololo Airstrip. What do they mean by we control? Have they requested for police help and been denied?”

MAO'S VISION FOR A NEW ORDER

Democratic Party presidential candidate Norbert Mao, who now heads the country’s oldest party, is next week scheduled to release a manifesto that will highlight plans for what he calls a “new political order for a new generation”.
Possibly the youngest leader of a political party, Mr Mao whose day job has been chairman of Gulu District will tout the document with DP’s pledge to live up to its promises as highlighted in the draft currently available.
Mr Mao is racing through eastern Uganda, reminding audiences that the old political order has failed the country – hence the call for a new beginning.

A quick look at the draft manifesto reveals highlights of an agenda which includes – in no particular order -- ensuring zero tolerance to corruption, creation of jobs for the large masses of the unemployed especially the youth, directing more resources to the agricultural sector and granting a federal system of governance.

Reviving education sector

Other key proposals are on how to revive Uganda’s deteriorating education system through motivation of teachers with high pay and promoting merit, establishing a full ministry for games and sports, preventing disease at community level, adequate funding for health care and religious institutions, introducing a minimum wage and promoting local industries and dialogue.
Mr Mao’s manifesto borrows portions from the document used by his predecessor at the DP helm, Mr John Ssebaana Kizito, who ran for office in 2006. Two days ago, Mr Mao announced his campaign team to be headed by Mr Ssebaana as the national chairman, Kyaddondo North MP Issa Kikungwe is the campaign manager.
“We shall ensure zero tolerance to corruption because only 40 per cent of our national budget is put to proper use; the rest of the resources land into the hands of corrupt officials. If we tighten our noose on corruption, the money in the budget will double for service delivery,” says Mr Kikungwe.
DP proposes to fully employ the services of existing anti-corruption institution. The focus on corruption dovetails with close attention being paid by all candidates to the vice which is costs Uganda hundreds of billions of shillings annually, let alone its adverse effects on delivery of social services. Mr Mao attacks the President for being unable to go beyond “blaming” top officials involved in corruption.
“We are also emphasising job creation because universities in Uganda produce so many people who have remained unemployed for a long time. The President’s business of giving out envelopes to some individuals has not helped either. With the available micro-finance institutions, they have not helped much. We want to change the people’s mind set and engage them in a gear which will propel them to action,” Mr Kikungwe said.
There is promise to immediately make available 5,000 jobs for the youth in the public service. At the same time, to put a cap on run-away public expenditure by abolishing the political office of Residence District Commissioner and their deputies which sucks hundreds of millions of shillings every month. He also promises to reduce the number of presidential advisors so that the resources currently spent on them are re-directed towards creating employment for the youth.
Mr Kikungwe said DP also “also believe sport is a process not an event. We must invest in it in order to get more medals. Instead of investing millions in CNN to have the country’s image revamped, let us invest in sports and the country will market itself automatically”.
“Also, concentration on polytechnic and apprentice trade academic programmes and investing in sciences including computer, mechanical and engineering and tapping into global trends using science and technology as well as harnessing the power of the Internet to create opportunities, supported by a strong ICT policy would offer alternatives to the unemployed,” says DP secretary general Mathias Nsubuga.
Like some other candidates, DP has promised to grant a fully fledged federal system of governance with a power sharing agreement in place for those states that wish to come together. This, the DP believes will take power and services closer to the people.
“Federalism democratises society, and it provides an additional layer of checks and balances thus deepening democracy. The unitary system of government has failed Uganda and is partly responsible for the zero-sum politics which has turned our politics into a life and death struggle for the capture of power which largely lies at the centre,” reads the draft manifesto.
There is a telling intention to immediately review the Constitution to offer what they called a “viable and well- coordinated form of federal government and guarantee the minimum but meaningful income and sources of funding for local governments/federal states”.
President Museveni has also offered a more elaborate version of federal system of governance if re-elected echoing an unfulfilled promise to Buganda Kingdom spanning most of two decades.
Now the Uganda has discovered oil, DP has promised an oil policy that will benefit everyone. The faith groups have Mr Mao’s attention too. He proposes budgetary allocations for their private Not For-Profit institutions.

Supporting churches

“We pledge to give religious institutions all necessary cooperation and financial support to increase efficiency and effectiveness in their respective institutions while at the same time respecting their independence and integrity. We also want to return ownership of religious founded institutions [to their owners],” reads the manifesto in part.
In the health sector, DP means to empower communities through awareness creation and training to prevent disease, cutting down incidence at household level reasoning that at least 70 per cent of diseases are preventable.
In the education sector, DP proposes a review of the entire educational system with a view of making it relevant to the needs and aspirations of Uganda’s human resource needs. They hope to achieve this through using resources saved through controlling corruption.
Mr Mao has promised to pay a living wage to all teachers starting in 2012, feeding pupils in primary schools by 2013 and maintaining free and compulsory primary school education, without compromising quality and establishing a scholarship scheme for high performing Ugandans.
Plans for security

His vision for Ugandans’ security includes a plan to phase out two spy agencies; Internal Security Organisation, External Security Organisation and their affiliates. They would be replaced with a properly facilitated National Security Service to handle all tasks of an intelligence gathering nature. Diplomats presently deployed to handle security matters would take over duties formerly undertaken by ESO, for instance.
He blames the palpable feeling of insecurity in the country on the proliferation of security organisations. The DP has a view of the country’s communication system modernised with a rehabilitated Entebbe International Airport to attract more international airlines, spruced-up in-country airfields to boost domestic flights and conduct a study on the viability of another international airport in the country.
On energy, Mr Mao said he would rectify the architectural and management mess at Owen Falls Dam to ensure optimal production of hydro-electric power. “We will also enter into partnership with private investors to invest in the production and supply of alternatives and renewable energy in both urban and rural areas,” Mr Mao suggests in a manifesto whose catchword conjures images of a new future.

I AM THE ONLY UNITY CANDIDATE SAYS MAO

Democratic Party president general and candidate, Norbert Mao, has rebuked Hajji Abdul Nadduli for allegedly using tribalism to undermine his candidature.

Nadduli, an NRM historical member, is also vice chairperson of the party for Buganda (central region). He was previously LC-5 chairman of Luwero. According to Mao, Nadduli has encouraged voters in Luwero to turn away from Mao because as an Acholi, he plans to kill Baganda as his tribes-people reportedly did during the guerilla war of 1981-1986.
“I was young by that time and it was [the late president] Milton Obote, Museveni and Nadduli who killed people struggling for power, not me. Tell Nadduli to leave me because I’m not of his class,” Mao said.
The UNLA, the national army of the time, which was pitted against Yoweri Museveni’s guerrillas in Luwero, was said to be dominated by soldiers hailing from Acholi.
Mao, who is also LC-5 chairperson for Gulu district, was addressing a crowd that braved a heavy downpour to attend his first campaign rally at Matugga trading centre in Luwero district on October 30.
Likening the guerilla war to a football match, Mao suggested that Nadduli and his fellow rebel fighters must have killed more people; which is why they won the war.
“In a football match, a team with a high score of goals is the one which wins…The 1981-1986 war was won by Museveni and Nadduli, which means they killed big numbers of people. Unless Nadduli tells me that his gun contained rose flowers but not bullets.”
Mao vigorously defended his presidential bid, saying it’s neither for the Acholi nor against Buganda. “Many people think that being a northerner, I don’t love Buganda Kingdom. No, that’s very wrong! Not being a Muganda does not stop me from having Buganda and the king at heart. I assure and promise you that if you vote for me, I will protect the king, his subjects and their property.
“I don’t deny the fact that my father is an Acholi and mum is from Ankole, but I grew up here, thus I’m a fellow Muganda. For that, I’m the only candidate who will be like a bridge that will unite all Ugandans despite their tribal differences,” he said.
Mao also revealed how he had been introduced to the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, by John Ssebaana Kizito, the man he succeeded to lead the DP.
The candidate further made reference to the historical relationship between the Acholi and Baganda. “Depending on the history of Buganda, Daudi Ocheng was killed for protecting the late Ssekabaka Muteesa II when all the Baganda had abandoned him, but Ocheng from Acholi gave away his life for this king. So, one does not need to be a Muganda to love the king,” he said.
Mao then turned to President Museveni. “[President] Museveni says that he loves Buganda Kingdom. How could you believe that great liar when he has failed to restore the chiefdom of his own tribe?”
Museveni hails from Ankole, whose kingdom has yet to be restored 17 years after other cultural institutions were revived.
Commenting on the reopening of CBS radio two days before the presidential nominations, Mao said: “You should know that he opened CBS radio not because he wanted to but because he was targeting votes and you should not forget that CBS can be closed again if he is still in power.”
The government had closed the Buganda Kingdom-owned radio at the peak of violent riots in parts of Buganda that resulted from the Kabaka being blocked from visiting Kayunga district in September 2009. Mao vowed to bring change of government in Uganda without bloodshed as has previously been the case.
“All people want is power to be changed without bloodshed. It is on record that Democratic Party is the oldest party in Uganda as well as the only party with clean hands, without blood stains. People are fed up with jumping their fellows’ dead bodies as a means of bringing change in the country,” he said.

MAO PROMISES THE YOUTH 5000 JOBS

By Frank Mugabi
THE Democratic Party presidential candidate, Norbert Mao, has promised the youth 5,000 jobs if he wins next year’s polls. He said the jobs were immediately available in the public service sector and would be dished out within the first six months of his reign. Mao promised to abolish positions of the resident district commissioner and their deputies and also reduce the number of presidential advisors so that their salaries and allowances are directed to creating jobs in the public sector. He noted that this would at the same time improve service delivery through having adequate manpower. Addressing a campaign rally at Busakira trading centre in Mayuge district on Monday evening, Mao noted that the youth make up a larger portion of the 33 million people in Uganda. He pledged to invest more in healthcare programmes to specifically cutback child and maternal mortality. “We shall provide health workers a living wage as opposed to the NRM’s minimum wage. This will enable government employees get a salary that matches the standards of living,” he said. Flanked by Mohammed Kezaala, the DP national chairman, who is also the Jinja municipality mayor, Mao slammed the education for all programmes for escalating the economic inequality among Ugandans. While at Musita trading centre on the Jinja-Iganga highway, Mao promised to reduce taxes on construction materials to enable more Ugandans build permanent houses. He said he would greatly improve the hygiene standards in the country. On corruption, Mao said the vice needs to be fought by a leader whose integrity is unquestionable and that he best suits the bill. He accused President Yoweri Museveni of failing to sack top government officials implicated in graft scams in Chogm, Global Fund and Temangalo land row. Residents who forcibly halted Mao’s convoy at Katwe trading centre at around 9:00pm asked him to plan for lower electricity tariffs, saying it would help promote the metal fabrication sector. Mao blamed the high power rates on the privatisation of the electricity company. He said the South African firm, Eskom, was bent on making profits with no regard to the difficulties that Ugandans face in paying their bills. Mao promised to ensure that the Government maintains the majority shares in the power company. Responding to complaints from residents of Bugadde, Mao cautioned security agents, especially internal security officers, against intimidating people. He gave out his mobile contact and asked anyone under threat to call him for help.

DP TO TAKE CARE OF MUSEVENI'S SECURITY AT RWAKITURWA

President Museveni can rest assured of his future and security if he loses the 2011 general elections, the Democratic Party candidate, Mr Norbert Mao, has said as he urged voters to consider a post-Museveni scenario in the country.
“I have been beating these Army men since my student days and President Museveni is going to lose this election to DP. However, we shall take charge of his security at his retirement home in Rwakitura” Mr Mao told residents of Makulubita, Ndejje and Bombo in Luweero District at his campaign rallies at the weekend.
Mr Mao said he defeated Brig. Noble Mayombo (RIP) in Makerere University guild presidential elections, Ms Betty Bigombe, Col. Walter Ochola - who had the full backing of the President. “Defeating the NRM should not surprise anybody come 2011 general elections,” he said.
People’s needs
The DP will establish the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund (CEEF) based on the people’s needs unlike many programmes that the NRM has politicised to the benefit of its supporters and not the needs of the youth and rural population. “The CEEF, unlike NAADs and Bonabagagawale among other projects that the NRM has abused, will not discriminate at any level,”
The DP president said Hajj Abdul Nadduli, the Luweero NRM chairman, was preaching politics of hatred based on ethnicity, regional groupings and false claims that the Acholi are responsible for Uganda’s past political mistakes. “I have never been in the Obote government and I cannot be held responsible for the past political mistakes, including the Luweero killings. Haji Nadduli, NRM and the Obote government are responsible,” Mr Mao said.
“Uganda’s past political mistakes should not be an issue in this campaign because Norbert Mao would be the only clean candidate for this race basing on the past history.”
Mr Mao, who was in company of former DP president general John Ssebana Kizito and MP Issa Kikungwe, said President Museveni has continued to make unfulfilled pledges

SEMOGERERE JOINS MAO'S TEAM

Former Democratic Party president Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere yesterday offered unconditional support to DP presidential candidate Norbert Mao and pledged to join his campaign.
Sources that attended the closed-door meeting between Mr Mao (pictured) and Dr Ssemogerere at the latter’s home in Lubaga, a Kampala suburb, on Sunday told Daily Monitor yesterday that Dr Ssemogerere welcomed the party leader to his home and promised to campaign for him for the good of DP.
The DP presidential press assistant, Mr Fred Mwesigwa, confirmed Mr Mao’s visit and said his acceptance to join the campaign trail is a big step towards DP’s success. “You all know Dr Ssemogerere is a senior DP leader and one with a clean record. We want him to play a key role in our campaigns as an elder,” Mr Mwesigwa said yesterday.
Dr Ssemogerere reportedly commended Mr Mao for doing a good job, saying many Ugandans are appreciating his vigorous campaigns and for trying to reconcile the warring factions within the party. At least one of the factions still refuses to recognise Mr Mao’s leadership and has fielded a candidate, Mr Sam Lubega, to run as an independent presidential candidate.
Mr Mwesigwa said Dr Ssemogerere was committed to asking Kampala Central MP Erias Lukwago and Mukono North MP Betty Nambooze back to the mainstream DP fold. The two MPs have previously held the view that the delegates conference which elected Mr Mao in Mbale was not properly constituted and as such illegal.
Dr Ssemogerere could not be reached for a comment as he was reportedly out of the country. Mr Mao while launching his campaigns urged his rivals to return to DP.

DP TO WIN ELECTIONS USING IDEAS

What does the DP candidate stand for?
He stands for truth and justice. He stands for a new leadership in a new beginning for the country. Uganda is a country that has gone through a lot of problems like wars, poverty, sectarianism, and oppressions. Mao represents a new hope in the new generation alongside reconciliation and building new bridges for a united Uganda. Our country needs a fresh start. Our health sector, education sector, infrastructure, and other state organisations are all in need of new breath from Mao
What are the key messages in DP’s manifesto?
We promise a government of zero-tolerance towards corruption to save the over sh500b (according to the World Bank report) which Uganda loses to corrupt government officials every year. We promise to save our now dilapidated hospitals. We shall make interventions to save the 16 Ugandan women who die every day while giving birth. We shall save the 800 children who due to preventable diseases die every year before the age of five. We shall do so by giving our doctors a living wage, fight corruption in the National Drug Authority and spread well-facilitated health centres across the country. A recent report indicated that a UPE Primary seven student cannot pass primary two exams. We shall, therefore, uplift our primary education by giving teachers a living wage and build more classrooms. Unlike the NRM government, we intend to heavily invest in the agriculture sector to turn Uganda into the food basket of the region. We have a plan for improve our infrastructure by building roads across the country. How do you expect DP to perform in the 2011 general elections? Aware that majority of Ugandans are young people and cognisant of the fact that the DP candidate is the best youthful candidate in the contest, we feel we shall be able to get not less than 50% in the presidential elections, which will enable us to enter the State House.
How do you expect DP to perform in the local and parliamentary elections?
Unlike in 2006 when we had few candidates, this time we have so far fielded 150 parliamentary candidates and more are still undergoing the screening exercise. We also have a very big number of candidates who will be contesting for the various local governments. We believe our performance will be good.
How did DP’s nomination and inaugural rally go?
There was a huge outpouring of emotions during Mao’s nomination as presidential candidate. The big numbers of people who turned up without our monetary investment is indicative of tha fact that Norbert Mao is the people’s choice of candidate. It was also exciting that we addressed our rally in an area inhabited by ordinary people because our mission is to fight for the welfare of downtrodden in our society.
How much money do you expect to spend on the campaigns and elections?
We shall win by using ideas, not money. That is why we don’t intend to use a lot of money. We have planned to spend between sh15b and sh20b. We are against the philosophy of monetisation of politics. Seventy per cent of our budget will go to materials, posters, adverts,and brochures. Twenty per cent to holding meetings and rallies while 10% will meet the administrative cots. We do not intend to bribe voters with money.

NOBERT AND NAOMI MAO OF DP

Norbert Mao is running as a flag bearer of the Democratic Party (DP) after becoming its first president from outside Buganda. The Chairman of Gulu District is a lawyer and former MP for Gulu Municipality. He speaks three local languages, Luo, Luganda, and Runyankole fluently. Mao is married to Naomi, an independent film maker and they have two sons, Nicholas and Nathan. The two were childhood friends who grew up to become lovers. But the world tore them apart as Naomi went to London for further studies. There, she met UPC’s Olara Otunnu’s brother, Ogenga Otunnu, who is now a professor in the UK and they hit the romantic road to marriage. However, before they could seal it off, Mao crushed in like a thunderbolt. Just after Mao had been nominated as MP for Gulu Municipality in 1996, he stormed London to meet Naomi who was about to marry Ogenga Otunnu. Surprisingly, Mao returned to Kampala with her. His opponents wanted to use this to decampaign him as a man who grabbed someone else’s wife but the Acholi people, instead, saw it as a manly act and showered him with votes. Naomi said her heart had decided which man to go with. Naomi successfully pulled off the ‘Michelle Obama look’ as she accompanied her husband to his presidential nomination, looking absolutely stunning in a trendy black suit. The independent film maker is also said to have hosted Charlize Theron, a famous actress, who was in the country on charity work in Northern Uganda. In an interview with UNAA Times, an online magazine, Naomi said her husband’s politics did not fit in well with her laid back personality. She is so private to the extent that she was not pleased with one of his campaign brochures that bore their family portrait. However, now that Mao is standing for presidency, she just has to surrender her privacy because she will often have to appear besides him during the campaigns

I AM UGANDA'S OBAMA SAYS MAO

At exactly 3pm, Norbert Mao, the president general of the Democratic Party, entered the nominations room with his spouse Naome. He would become the fifth and last nominated candidate for the day.
And riding on some semblances with American President Barrack Obama, Mao said he was Uganda’s next in waiting. “I am a lawyer, born in a mixed parentage and I talk about serious issues….” he said.
Mr Mao said being of mixed parentage (Acholi-Ankole), he was the best candidate Uganda could have, especially at this time when the country needed healing.
Mr Obama is also born of an American mother and a Kenyan father.“Today I feel a great sense of responsibility for my party, myself and my family. If God called me today and asked me what you did for Uganda, I can proudly answer that I offered myself for Presidency.”He took firm exception to Suubi pressure group many of whose members are offshoots of the DP.
“The people in Suubi are just looking for a shortcut to leadership. They are riding on popular sentiments that they will deliver what Buganda wants. I don’t think they even have the capacity to deliver what they are promising,” Mao said, adding that DP had solutions to Buganda’s issues and the group was doing no good.
He said his party and candidature hinged on four pillars; job creation in light of the biting unemployment, education, quality health for all and quality homesteads.s priority, he said, would be to restore Uganda’s image in the international community because currently all neighbours view Uganda as a war monger, always ready to attack them.
He said he was also in for women emancipation by involving women in decision making instead of the current “tokenism”. Mao’s nomination was proposed by his DP predecessor Ssebana Kizito and Ms Sara Kanyike seconded him.
“I declare Nobert Mao of DP, who has complied with all the regulations,” Dr Kiggundu said, amidst ululations and shouts of joy from the 20 man team.
However, Dr Kiggundu also said because of natural justice, Mao would be allowed some few hours to present another set of postcard photographs to the EC “because the ones submitted have one ear.”The team comprised of MPs, John Kawanga, Joseph Balikudembe, Mathias Nsubuga, and Jinja Mayor Kezaala among others.
Mr Kezaala later after nominations handed Mao a green hoe draped in white and green, their party sign which symbolizes their party’s love for agriculture.
Today, the EC will converge again at Namboole and PDP’s Abed Bwanika will be nominated at 11am while an independent candidate, who just pulled all the 75 districts Drake Ssebunya, will be nominated at 10:30am.
It is highly expected that Uganda Peoples’ Congress Olara Otunnu may show up at 10am for nominations.

DP HAS RESURRECTED, SAYS MAO

Gulu District chairman Norbert Mao set off on the campaign trail yesterday promising his audience at a speaking event in Kawempe, a Kampala suburb, that his Democratic Party, one of the country’s oldest institutions, will unseat the current leadership democratically – without resorting to the gun.
Mr Mao whom the crowds referred to as Uganda’s Barack Obama, a reference to the captivating election of the US president in 2008, spoke at Kawempe Growers Ground and addressed what may be a key constituency with a promise to give the country’s large numbers of youth their rightful share of the national cake.
Federo
He also promised to restore Buganda Kingdom’s lost glory and grant a federal system of government which he said the ruling NRM had for the last 20 years failed to grant.
Mr Mao’s wife, Naome, was at his side as he arrived after 5pm, committing to protect the ordinary Ugandan. “I would like to introduce our President who retired willfully (referring to Ssebaana Kizito) and who is better than this one whom we are going to retire against his will and through the vote,” were Mr Mao’s first words.
Mr Ssebaana immediately purred about how the DP has proposed a young, intelligent and energetic candidate who would move the country forward.
Mr Mao spoke fluent Luganda, a language widely spoken in the central region. “Those holding guns are entirely dependent on the gun. Those who are spending tax payers’ money on campaigns are dependent on money but we are relying on the ordinary Ugandan and everybody should know that DP has resurrected,” Mr Mao said.
Mr Mao’s candidature was encumbered by hurdles with a wing of the party refusing to accept his election at the Mbale delegates’ conference early this year. Yesterday, he appealed to his rivals to “return home”.
“We welcome whoever had temporarily taken refuge elsewhere to return home. Whoever fears rain can even seek shelter in a night dancer’s home but the rain is no more,” he said. The crowd laughed.It was symbolic that Mr Mao started his journey in Kawempe North, a constituency represented by party-mate Latif Ssebaggala in this traditional DP enclave of the city.
Speaking of his school days, Mr Mao said when he stood for Makerere guild presidency most people, including his father, discouraged him from standing because he was an Acholi and the fact that former President Milton Obote of their neighbour Lango community was blamed for committing atrocities.
Luweero ghosts
“I told them I am a Ugandan and I never filled any form to be a Mucholi (sic). I told them those who attacked the Lubiri did so before I was born.”
About the Luweero killings, Mr Mao said since Obote died, President Museveni “has to explain to us who is responsible for the killings there”.
On oil revenues, he promised an equitable 50 per cent share between the central government and local governments in districts where the resource occurs.

ARUA MUNICIPALITY DP FLAG BEREAR CHOSEN

By Richard Drasimaku
THE Democratic Party (DP) has elected Arua municipality flag-bearers for the Member of Parliament and mayor. Both positions attracted two contestants each. Lemeriga Fadil, a longtime DP stalwart, was selected to carry the flag in the MP race, while Kafu Nasur will seek election as mayor. John Apangu, the district party returning officer, described the process as transparent. He said 32 members from Arua municipality, who renewed their membership this year, constitute the Electoral College. Only 22 members took part in the voting. The other 10, including Hamid Musa, who contested the position for the mayoral flag-bearer, abstained. Musa was beaten by Kafu, who got 18 out of the 22 votes cast. In the hotly contested position for the MP, Lemeriga trounced Zubair Alahai by one vote. He polled 11 votes. Alahai, however, rejected the outcome of the elections, alleging that the process was manipulated in Lemeriga’s favour. He complained that some of his supporters were turned away by the election officials when they came to cast their votes. The officials advised him to petition the outcome. Peter Matua, the DP district chairman, hailed the primary elections as a milestone. Matua said he expected the membership of DP to increase, following the recent tour by party president Norbert Mao. Lemeriga is likely to face FDC’s Amina Atako, Gabriel Aridru of the NRM and the incumbent, Akbar Godi of the FDC.

MAO SCORES VICTORY IN COURT OF APPEAL

Mr Norbert Mao, the Democratic Party presidential flag bearer, yesterday secured a temporary lease of life and moved a step closer to his nomination after the Court of Appeal declined to grant an order that would effectively stop his nomination.
A party faction opposed to Mr Mao’s leadership and candidature had run to the court seeking an injunction against his nomination set for early next week. The Electoral Commission announced separately that nominations for presidential candidates will take place on October 25 and 26.
A DP faction led by Mr Samuel Lubega had asked Court of Appeal registrar Asaph Ruhinda Ntengye to issue an interim order to temporarily stay the decision of Judge Lawrence Gidudu which threw out an application seeking to nullify Mr Mao’s election in February in Mbale.This application had been filed by the former DP National Chairman, Prof. Joseph Mukiibi and former DP Vice-President Rainer Kafiire.
But Mr Ruhinda refused to issue the order yesterday and instead adjourned the matter to October 27 to enable both the Electoral Commission and Mr Mao’s DP respond to the main application filed by the faction seeking the temporary injunction restraining the party’s Secretary General, Mr Mathias Nsubuga, from nominating DP candidates for presidential, parliamentary and local elections in the 2010 general elections. Mr Joseph Balikuddembe had earlier told the registrar that if Justice Gidudu’s decision is not stayed, the faction will have no chance to present their candidate for presidential nomination.
Past deadline
The adjournment, however, means that by the time court hears and determines the faction’s application for a temporary injunction, the nomination exercise will be completed leaving the faction with only one option of challenging Mao’s nomination. Records before court indicate that early this year, the faction went to court to challenge the purported Mbale delegates’ conference and its outcome. Justice Gidudu heard their case and dismissed it on May 31 on technical grounds. The faction was dissatisfied with the ruling, hence the appeal.
In the appeal the group alleged that the Mbale delegate’s conference was unlawfully convened by Mr Ssebaana Kizito and Mr Mathias Nsubuga, who were dismissed from the party on February 15, 2010 for defying party directives. Mr Mao, who has been canvassing votes in western and eastern Uganda, West Nile and the Acholi sub-region, returns to Kampala for the presidential nominations set for next week at Nambole Stadium

DP TO HIRE 100 LAWYERS TO BATTLE KIBOOKO SQUAD

By Chris Ocowun
THE Democratic Party (DP) is to hire more than 100 lawyers to provide free legal services to people whose rights will be abused by the Kiboko Squad or other security operatives in the coming general elections. This was disclosed by the DP president general, Norbert Mao, while addressing a rally at Kaunda grounds in Gulu district on Sunday. Mao, who is the party presidential candidate, told the Acholi not to vote him on the basis that he is their son, but as the best choice among those aspiring for presidency. He assured the Acholi that President Yoweri Museveni would not rig the elections. On the Inter-party Coalition (IPC), Mao said: “We tried IPC but failed; even UPC tried IPC and failed to agree. In next year’s elections, the race will be between Museveni and me and no one should say Mao is an opposition president. I will be a president of every Ugandan.” He called on those who failed during the NRM primaries to join DP. “If even Gilbert Bukenya, the vice-president, has been locked out of NRM, who are you to go through? The owners of NRM are there,” he said. Mao noted that the Government’s Universal Primary Education had failed. He said DP would provide quality education. “If Museveni has been getting 20% of the votes here, this time let him go back with zero votes,” Mao added. He blamed Museveni for not fighting the increasing cases of corruption in the Government. “Scholarships for petroleum studies are being given to children elsewhere and yet the petroleum and oil are in northern Uganda,” he stated.

NRM REGIME IS AUTOCRATIC-MAO

Felix Okello Warom The Democratic Party president, Mr Norbert Mao, has said the NRM government is autocratic and cannot fight corruption and poverty.
Addressing a rally in Arua District on Friday, Mr Mao said: “I do not believe Museveni is clean. If he was, then he would have sent away those who mismanaged the Global Fund and Chogm money.”
Mr Mao told Arua residents to guard against voter bribery and intimidation, especially by security personnel.
PledgesHe said if elected President, he would end corruption, create wealth though establishment of industries and revive cooperatives that helps farmers in price protection and ensure that clean water and adequate electricity is provided for all the citizens.
Mr Mao urged residents to vote out all corrupt leaders and those who could not deliver services, saying they are making the communities poorer

DP CANCELS RUBAGA AND MAKERERE ELECTION RESULTS

Democratic Party (DP) electoral tribunal has cancelled party primary election results of LC5 councillorship for Makerere University and Rubaga II electoral areas.
Mr Fred Mbidde, the DP legal adviser, who chaired the tribunal, on Thursday ruled that the elections were conducted unconstitutionally and ordered for fresh polls.
“Both elections were conducted in error and in contravention of the party constitution. It is therefore ordered that the elections for the flag-bearers in the subject electoral areas be conducted in a proper manner,” he said.
Incumbent councillors Bernard Luyiga (Makerere University) and Zacky Mberaze (Rubaga II) petitioned the tribunal, contesting the election of Wilson Nsibirwa and Henry Matovu as party flag -bearers for the seats respectively.
The petitioners said the elections were not supervised by the urban division branches as provided for in the party constitution. Article 54 provides for the formation of urban division branches of the party throughout the county.
“These branches are not known to have existed in both areas before, during and even after the elections,” Mr Mbidde adding; “Accordingly the constitution of the Democratic Party was offended as far as supervision of the said party primaries in both areas was concerned.”.
Ruling rejectedHowever, Mr Nsibirwa who attended the proceedings rejected the ruling insisting that he was not given a fair hearing.He also doubted the party’s readiness to conduct fresh primary elections claiming that the ruling could have been designed to “rob him of victory”.
“This is broad day robbery. There is no date set for fresh elections and if they (elections) are not held between now and next week, the incumbents will automatically become the flag-bearers,” he added

HIGH ORDERS LUBEGA AND GROUP TO STOP IMPERSONATING AS DP LEADERS

High Court in Kampala has ordered DP rival faction led by Samuel Lubega to stop impersonating as DP leaders and conducting party work due totheir failure to participate in the party delegates' conference held inMbale in February this year.
The court order signed by Justice Lawrence Gidudu indicates that onlyparty leaders who were elected in Mbale delegates' conference areentitled to choosing party member s that are to stand on the partyticket on any post for the forth coming general elections.
The Party chief legal advisor Fred Mukasa Mbidde explains that the courtorder ends the DP faction because they boycotted the delegates'conference where they would be elected as leaders.Meanwhile, Mbidde attacked Samuel Lubega for being a political failurewho is interested in seeing other people fail in their success.

MAO SAYS BESIGYE CAN'T DEFEAT MUSEVENI

DP Presidential candidate Norbert Mao has said the FDC President Dr. Kizza Besigye deserves no more opportunity to contest for presidency. Mao argues that after failing to win the vote against President Yoweri Museveni in two presidential runs, Besigye cannot emerge triumphant. He said the time was now to vote for someone who would trounce Museveni once and for all. Mao believes he is the best suited candidate for the task. He says the north has been an opposition stronghold, which votes he will count on in the next general polls. Besigye won the lion's share of the votes in northern Uganda in the last two presidential elections.

KALUNGI NOT A DP SAYS KAKANDE

By Jeff Lule
THE Democratic Party (DP) party has said the Makindye division LC3 chairperson, Moses Kalungi, is not a member of the party. “No DP boss has crossed to NRM party as it was reported in one of the media houses. People like Kalungi are trying to attract people’s attention and cause confusion among the public. We don’t know him,” the party’s deputy publicist secretary, Kenneth Kakande, said. He was addressing journalists during the party’s weekly press briefing in Kampala yesterday. Kalungi declared his support to President Yoweri Museveni at a rally in Makindye over the weekend. He was elected Makindye division chairperson in 2006 as an independent, but insists he is a member of DP.
Kakande said Kalungi’s DP membership was suspended at the Mbale delegates’ conference immediately after they received information that he belonged to two parties. “Kalungi had a DP card and was at the same time a patron of the Social Democratic Party, which is not allowed,” he explained. He noted that like Sebaggala, Kalungi is a political tourist with his own interests as a businessman. Kakande stressed that Kalungi had also contested to become the party’s treasurer in Mbale, but his credentials were questioned. On this year’s 48th Independence Day celebrations, Kakande said Ugandans should focus on changing the country and giving it a new look. He reported that 10 million Ugandans live below the poverty line, while preventable diseases like malaria continue to kill people. Kakande said corruption is still a major challenge to most development programmes yet no action has been taken against the culprits. “Corruption is one reason why we still have poor living standards, inadequate health facilities among other issues. The Government should do something about it,” he said.
The party’s chief legal adviser, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, said the party had petitioned the Electoral Commission (EC) to block members who pick nomination forms without a letter from the party’s secretary general, Mathias Nsubuga. Mbidde cited Samuel Lubega, who recently picked nomination forms as DP’s presidential candidate.

NRM CAUSING POVERTY IN BUSOGA-MAO

Buyende/Kamuli
The Democratic Party presidential candidate, Mr Norbert Mao, has accused the NRM of a selective development agenda aimed at creating an aristocracy. Mr Mao, who addressed public rallies in Buyende and Kamuli districts on Monday, said the NRM government had subjected Busoga to poverty. “NRM game plan is to hold the greater north under insurgency and Busoga under poverty which it has done in overdose thus creating a political virus,” Mr Mao said.
Political bondage
Mr Mao said the NRM has held voters in Busoga and northern Uganda in a political bondage which they must free themselves from. Promising positive change, Mr Mao said: “DP is a party for the peasantry whose livelihood is dependent on land hence our symbol the hoe but a luxurious party like NRM goes for a bus that is inaccessible to a local man.” He said the DP will give a living wage and quality education that is relevant to the future if elected.
“DP is a peasants party so all those who have hoes at home and land should vote Mao and those of you with buses parked in your garages, go ahead to the bus but I know you are a minority,” he said, working up the crowd.
Caution
Mr Mao cautioned the Basoga against relying on traditional leaders, saying Mr Museveni only uses them for votes through divide and rule. He said the president wanted to pitch the Basoga against each other, arguing that this was the reason William Gabula Nadiope IV and Edward Columbus Wambuzi remained as fence Kyabazingas in Busoga for political vote-balancing.
Mr Mao said President Museveni was paying lip service to traditional leaders and was not committed to resolving the standoff in the Kyabazinga wrangle. “He is just confusing you to his political advantage but he will be ashamed,” he said.
Mr Mao said he trounced the late Brig. Noble Mayombo for the Makerere guild presidency, Col. Walter Ochora for Gulu LC5 seat, Ms Betty Bigombe for Gulu MP seat, adding that he is capable of defeating Mr Museveni in next year’s presidential elections.

DP JINJA TO FILL VACANT POSTS

By Jackie Nambogga
IN preparation for the Democratic Party (DP) primaries in Jinja district, leaders have been asked to fill party structures in the villages that have not yet voted. The party national chairperson, Muhammad Kezaala Baswale, said before holding the district party primaries, all structures must be in place to avoid irregularities. The primaries, whose dates have not yet been set, will be conduted under electoral colleges, according to Samuel Kitanda, the Jinja DP chairperson. Kitanda explained that electoral colleges will prevent the kind of malpractices that marred the NRM primaries. Kezaala announced that DP presidential hopeful Norbert Mao’s visit in the Busoga sub-region would start on October 1. Mao, he added, would spend six days in the region, soliciting signatories for his presidential bid and introducing party flag-bearers to the people. He was addressing journalists at his office last week.

I WILL GIVE UGANDA A NEW BEGINNING-MAO

LAST week the Democratic Party leader, Norbert Mao, become the 41st presidential aspirant to pick nomination forms from the Electoral Commission to run in next year’s elections. Moses Mulondo interviewed him about his preparedness and disagreements obstructing the full functioning of the party. Below are excerpts
You said Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) had invested a lot of time and resources to weaken the DP. Can you substantiate your allegations? We have evidence that while Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) was still in the Inter Party Co-operation, FDC had drafted a memorandum of understanding to sign with DP members as part of IPC. But UPC rejected the idea telling them that it was not good for IPC parties to participate in DP’s internal disagreements, aware that a united and strong DP is good for democracy in Uganda. The FDC leader was recently on TV saying that they would work with Samuel Lubega’s group, whom he considers to also be DP leaders. This means Dr. Kizza Besigye does not recognise the established organs of DP. They are also funding Ssuubi 2011 whose agenda is not clear beyond running a smear campaign against DP leaders. And generally speaking, I think 90% of the attacks against DP have come from FDC. They have forgotten that we are not the ones in government. So, we think that if FDC cared about a united opposition, they would support the unity of DP rather than promoting factionalism.
The battle lines for the 2011 presidential race have been drawn, are you ready for the fight?
Yes, I am now ready to lead Uganda. I am familiar with the mechanics of winning because I am not a novice in politics. We have already put up a mechanism to ensure cash flow from well wishers to support our campaigns. We have rejuvenated most of our structures countrywide. Besides, we are coming with a coherent message offering a new beginning for Uganda. So, a combination of our strong messages and rejuvenated grassroots structures can deliver electoral victory to DP. What do you mean by a new beginning? We live in a country that has greatly suffered from broken relationships arising from ethnic and religious tensions, and the widening gap between the rich and the poor. The social indicators are very appalling. So, the new beginning is about healing our land. We need a leader who knows where Uganda is hurting. So, the mission of our new beginning is about building a fair society. In the past even the children of the poor could afford joining top schools which is no longer possible today. We want a society where even the poor can access quality services. We want to make a government that creates jobs for its citizens and even pays workers a living wage. We want to assure our citizens of a stable income which can guarantee them good health, quality education and home ownership. The new beginning is, therefore, about inclusive development as opposed to the current exclusive development and it is also about reconciling the nation.
Now that you have picked nomination forms for the presidential race, should we assume that you now trust the Electoral Commission which you have been criticising?
By the way, not all battles are fair and we believe it is possible to win even in an unfair battle. We do not believe that the Kiggundu-led Electoral Commission is impartial. We don’t believe they have the competence and neutrality to run a fair electoral process. We don’t trust their transparency because they behave more like an appendage of the ruling NRM party. Do you think victory for the opposition is possible in those circumstances? But the matters at stake are serious. We have the future of our children at stake. We, therefore, cannot just abandon the future of our country. If we mobilise effectively and empower our citizens to believe that collectively, we are more powerful than the NRM regime, then victory will be ours in spite of the EC and the NRM machinations.
How have you planned to deal with electoral irregularities?
Unlike some of my colleagues in the opposition, I believe that we can have regime change through the ballot. And that in case of unfairness, Ugandans can sustain a long time campaign of civil disobedience without violence that can bring about change in Uganda. We intend to focus on the polling stations that we know are notorious as centres of rigging. We shall flood such polling stations with aggressive but knowledgeable polling agents. We will use modern technology to record incidents of violence, intimidation, bribery and rigging. Even if the NRM jams the mobile telephone networks, we have a back up plan to use satellite phones and internet based communication gadgets like magic jack. We have also planned to expose the photographs of those who torment our people like the Kiboko squad and other notorious security operatives. We want to send them a message that it does not matter when, but there will be a day of reckoning and justice will be served. We will also appeal to Ugandans not to sell their vote. We shall tell them that selling their votes at this critical stage of our country will be the highest form of treason, a subversion of our democracy and a betrayal of our children. Our fellow citizens must learn from the people of Gulu who have a common political saying that ‘you can play with my stomach but you cannot play with my brain.’
What makes you different from other presidential aspirants?
Of the serious contenders, I am the youngest. My youth is a unique characteristic. I am, therefore, the flag bearer for the generation born after independence. Even the elderly will vote for me because I embed the hopes and aspirations of their children and their grandchildren. I also speak both Nilotic and Bantu languages. My language abilities will help me break barriers. And also, being a person of a mixed parentage, with a Nilotic father and a mother from Ankole brought up by a Muganda, there is no better candidate to be the bridge between the north and south. It will take generations before another candidate like me emerges. So, since Ugandans share a common bitter past, we should now rally around a person like me who personifies our common hopes and aspirations.
In a recent interview with Sunday Vision, DP’s former legal adviser Erias Lukwago said you ascended to the presidency illegally?
The turbulence in DP has nothing to do with legalities. It is purely political. After the elections, there inevitably emerges a majority side and a minority side. In the same way, after the Mbale delegates conference I emerged as the leader of the majority in DP and people like my brother Lukwago, emerged in the minority. In a democracy there is no permanent majority or permanent minority. So, the main question in DP now is whether the minority accept that the majority should lead the entire party including the minority. People like Lukwago are setting a bad precedence for the internal democracy of our party. By refusing to recognise our leadership, they are confusing our members and making the party vulnerable to scavengers from other parties who want to weaken the party. The DP needs people like Lukwago. I consider him to be a highly talented politician and the best course of action for him and DP is to accept to work together with the current leadership of the party. It is true that he may be upset that he is not one of the top leaders of the party but he is a member of parliament and, therefore, remains an influential person in the party.
Is there hope for immediate reconciliation among the various DP groups before the 2011 general elections?
We have actually reconciled with very many members of our party simply by clearing their misunderstandings. Since we took over the DP leadership, our biggest strength has been the outreach campaign we embarked on. We have also shown ourselves to be the most transparent leadership team because we have made our funding agreements with our partners public. So, our action is to building the party and turning it from a perennial loser to a competitive organisation which speaks volumes in favour of our leadership. We were instructed by the delegates to reconcile the party and unify it. It is not an easy job because some of those who are undermining us seem to be serving other masters. They are caught up in a trap of opportunism and careerism. They have forgotten that being out of the executive does not mean you cannot work for the party.
What reconciliation measures are you coming up with?
We have observed that most of the turbulence is in Buganda and most of it is mere squabbling, which is not based on any principle. The root of this turbulence is based on the over concentration of the party in Buganda and because of that, there are too many power centres colliding in one region within the same party. So we intend to continue working with our party elders, Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa and former party president Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, to hold a unity conference centred mainly on Buganda. Above all, as we work for reconciliation, we are now more conscious of the fact that the national political arena stretches beyond Buganda. So, the narrow mindedness and parochial sentiments that drive some of the colleagues opposed to our leadership will continue to meet with a lot of hostility both in Buganda and outside Buganda. We are not in the 1960s. The level of the consciousness of our people is higher and, therefore, there is no room for the kind of sectarianism that drives those opposing me.
Lukwago further challenged you, saying you have done nothing about corrupt DP officials in your executive yet corruption in DP is as bad as corruption in the NRM?
Obviously, my brother Lukwago, having been in the city politics, has issues with some members of my team. To the best of my knowledge Lukwago, for long worked amicably with some members of my team while they were in UYD. I have inquired from some of the UYD leaders the cause of the tension between them and Lukwago. They tell me that Lukwago expected them to rally behind him as party leader. The only crime, therefore, that my leadership has committed is to support me to lead DP and the country.
Are you saying there are no corrupt officials among DP leaders?
I think the question should be, do I know of any cases of corruption involving members of my team. I have no information of that kind. I have zero tolerance to corruption and I expect those who have information to help me. By the way, before Mbale, people like Lukwago were telling our current team not to support me. Now that I am the leader of DP, they have turned around and they are saying Mao is a good clean leader but he is surrounded by crooks. We consider that a form of cheap blackmail. That said, I am on record for sounding a warning to the DP councilors at KCC to distance themselves from dirty deals. As a result these DP councilors are now opposing the corrupt takeover of city markets, the illegal sell of the town clerk’s house to the mayor and they are resisting the unlawful eviction of the poor tenants of Nakawa/Nagulu estates. This is a direct result of policy direction by our new leadership. If my leadership was corrupt they would not be taking a stand against those dubious deals. They would instead be looking for avenues to cash in.
What about the sh850m deal Lukwago talked about that your team legal advisor, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, got in the sale of a public plot of land at Lugogo?
I am not aware of it. I think Lukwago can help me with the information so that I act. In any case, why are these issues becoming important after we have assumed the leadership of the party?
What is the Uganda of Mao’s dream?
I want a Uganda where the voice of citizens really matters. Right now, instead of being empowered by the state, the Ugandans are victimised by the state. I want a fair society. I want a Uganda where character other than my tribe is used to measure my ability.
What is your guiding principle in life?
I believe in the intrinsic equality of all human beings regardless of whether they are female, male, poor, rich, disabled or not. I believe that human beings are like legal tender where the same currencies will purchase the same amount of goods irrespective of their condition. I also believe in ultimate justice. I am also certain that eventually God will balance the books and all wrongs will be righted. I believe that no matter what one does God’s will eventually prevails. That is why my opponents usually get surprised by my courage not knowing that my plug is in the divine socket. Those are my driving principles.
As a longtime politician on Uganda’s political scene, what, to you, is the major problem with Uganda’s politics?
On the side of the leaders the main problem is the failure to set up clear rules and abide by them. Rules of engagement are very important for birthing good governance. As a result, our politics has become dysfunctional with ends overriding the means. On the side of the electorate there is what I would call the low expectation syndrome. We expect so little from our leaders that we virtually settle for anything they throw at us. In the absence of high expectations and outrage when leaders fail us, democracy will never take root. There are fears that the NRM may become as dominant as Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi or South Africa’s African National Congress The NRM will never become like CCM or ANC because it is merely a house of guards. NRM has no pillars. NRM is simply a special purpose vehicle for Yoweri Museveni and his close associates. The CCM and ANC are built on a long time vision with a clear succession plan. It is in black and white that the monopoly of NRM cannot outlive Museveni.

DP WITHDRAWS PARTY CARD FROM SEBAGGALA

The Democratic Party has recalled Nasser Sebaggala’s life membership card saying he betrayed the party’s cause by forming another political party and is now cooperating with the NRM party.
Mr Sebaggala is the President of the Liberal Democratic Transparency (LDT) party, a breakaway faction of the DP but has of late forged an alliance with the ruling NRM party and swore to support President Museveni in the forth-coming elections.
The DP Secretary General, Mr Mathias Nsubuga, made the announcement on Friday at a press briefing in Kampala as he received over 30 of Mr Sebaggala’s supporters who have crossed back to DP.
“As DP we have withdrawn the life membership card which we gave him when he was joining the party. He has been holding it but we have written to him and we want him to return it immediately,” Mr Nsubuga said. He said President Museveni is fond of bribing weak opposition members like Mr Sebaggala who cannot stand their ground.
“We as DP do not miss Sebaggala at all and we shall fight him the way we are fighting the NRM party. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), we have found out that a lot of money has been squandered by the government. Bank of Uganda has become a basket for Museveni to pull out money and give it out,” Mr Nsubuga who is also the MP for Bukoto South said.He said President Museveni had given Mr Sebaggala a Kampala City Council property belonging to the government to woo him into joining the NRM.
Mr Mulyanyama Nganda Kasirye who was Mr Sebaggala’s chief mobiliser said they cannot continue serving a leader who is unprincipled. “I have been mobilising people under the LDT party but I am back to my family which is DP. Sebaggala has now crossed over to the NRM party and betrayed the key principles within which we supported him. He vowed to fight poverty among the masses and support the Buganda government’s aspirations but he has not fulfilled any of them,” Mr Kasirye said.
“He is joining a party that closed Buganda’s Central Broadcasting Services and one that blocked the Kabaka from visiting his subjects in Kayunga District,” he added. “I wish to welcome all our people back and other members who don’t feel comfortable where they are to come home and join a party that stands for truth and justice.”Mr Sebaggala could not be reached for a comment as his official mobile phone was switched off.

DP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TOUR BUGANDA

DP presidential candidate Nobert Mao has started on a Buganda tour with a message of hope based on the possibility of building a government based on truth and justice. Mao addressed rallies at Bukomero, Kiboga and Masodde which comprise Luweero triangle.
The DP President candidate continues his tour today to Mubende District where he is going to address public rallies and meet opion Leaders at Bukuya, Kassanda, Kikandwa Trading Centres, He will proceed to Kiganda and hold the main Rally at Myanzi Trading Centre.

DP SEEKS SHS6B FOR 2011 POLLS

The Democratic Party [DP] is short of Sh6 billion for the coming general election campaigns, the party treasurer Hon Isa Kikungwe said Wednesday.
Addressing journalists in Kampala, Mr Kikungwe said the party has at-least raised Sh 3 billion in cash and property obtained to gear up local council, parliamentary and presidential campaigns.“We have already obtained some money amounting to Sh3billion in cash and assets, we expect more support from local, foreign party supporters and international democratic organisations,” Mr Kikungwe said in Kampala.
He said the party has already obtained a special presidential motorcade for the campaign trail, a printing press to print posters for local council and parliamentary candidates, a well equipped mobile truck with public address system to work as a mobile stage during the campaigns.
Meanwhile, DP has launched a fundraising exercise across the country to collect more funds through sale of party cards and soliciting funds from prominent business men. The party has also sent DP legal advisor Mr Fred Mukasa Mbidde to China, Singapore and Russia to solicit support ahead of the general elections starting in November.
Mr Mukasa who left the country on Monday is expected to meet the business fraternity, politicians and non government organisation willing to sponsor DP campaigns.
“I expect to meet several politicians to seek for both political ideas and financial support. We also want to find out how political parties can stabilise their income through investing in different ventures,” Mr Mukasa said.
“We need at-least five campaign trucks each at Sh100 million. We intend to spend Sh9 billion in next year’s presidential race so we need more funds,” Mr Kikungwe also the MP Kyadondo South said.
He urged the party members to support the fundraising drive saying the new party leadership is set to change the face of DP and take Ugandan politics to another level. According to Kikungwe, the obtained trucks have several modern features including cameras, public address system, inbuilt stage, dressing room among others.
The Party Deputy Organising Secretary Mr Sulaiman Kidandala said more party officials are expected to traverse America and Europe on the same mission.
Last month DP National Council [NC] flatly rejected demands by opposition parties to join the Inter -Party Co-operation [IPC] saying a single opposition candidate against an incumbent can easily be defeated.
DP National Chairman Mr Baswale Kezaala said the NC retained earlier decision by the National Executive Committee [NEC] that DP works with IPC at parliamentary and local council elections. NC believes the strategy will help to acquire more opposition allies but it’s not applicable at the presidential level.
Recently, DP President Mr Norbert Mao described the Inter -Party Co-operation [IPC] as a political platform only intended to benefit Forum for Democratic Change as a party. He said IPC is a diversionary strategy that only helps FDC to widen its political base at the expense of other political parties.
The IPC is a loose coalition of five opposition political parties planning to field a single presidential candidate next year. The group comprising of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda People's Congress (UPC), the Conservative Party, Social Democratic Party and JEEM.

MAO PICKS FORMS

Democratic Party leader Norbert Mao yesterday picked nomination forms for next year’s presidential elections as he announced a Shs9b campaign budget.
Mr Mao, who was accompanied by party officials Vincent Mayanja and Kenneth Kakande, picked the forms at around 9am. He joins a growing list of 40 other candidates who have picked forms but are expected to pay a commitment fee of Shs8m upon returning them. “Picking the forms is another step in the historic journey to take DP to power so that Uganda has a government founded on principles of truth and justice,” Mr Mao said.
Shs9b war chestAddressing journalists at Christ the King Hall in Kampala minutes after picking the forms, Mr mao announced he would spend Shs9b on his campaigns. “We hope to raise more money than that. The money is meant for the presidential candidate’s campaigns,” he said, adding that resources were being sought internally and from party supporters in the Diaspora.
“We have negotiated a grant of Shs200m from the Deepening Democracy project who are helping us build party structures and strengthen leadership. We are also going to acquire a printing press from the USA to print posters for our candidates and a truck with a public address system as our mobile stage,” said Mr Mao. He said the manifesto will focus on job creation.
Mr Mao, who has just returned from a two-week tour of the US, said: “We went there to reassure the people there that change is possible. My job was to mobilise Ugandans not to lose interest in their country and we are working to restore democracy.” He said he also met members of the US Senate and Congress and asked them to prevail over the Electoral Commission to ensure free and fair elections.
“America cannot pretend not to be concerned about the partiality of our Electoral Commission. It is not a question of saying Museveni alone can work with them but any government can work with them to ensure stability,” he said. “The President is blackmailing Americans saying it is only him who can work with them,” he added.

DP PRESIDENT MAO ACCUSES BESIGYE OF SABOTAGE

Tuesday, 21st September, 2010

By Barbara Among and Moses Mulondo
DEMOCRATIC Party leader Norbert Mao yesterday made a scathing attack on Col. Kizza Besigye, the 2011 Inter-Party Cooperation presidential flag-bearer, accusing him of sabotage. Addressing a press conference at Christ the King Hall in Kampala, shortly after picking nomination forms for next year’s presidential elections, Mao said the FDC party led by Besigye was trying to weaken DP by forging a secret alliance with some DP members. “FDC has been for long investing a lot of time and resources aimed at destabilising DP to weaken our party. It is unfortunate that Dr. Kizza Besigye could not take in the UPC advice that a united and strong DP is good for democracy in Uganda,” Mao said. Mao, whose party has been shaken by internal wrangles, is the 41st presidential aspirants to pick the forms. The NRM party picked the forms on Friday and FDC picked theirs on Monday. A DP faction, calling itself DP-Uganda, led by Samuel Lubega, picked nomination forms two weeks ago. The Uganda Peoples Congress is the only main political party that has not picked nomination forms. Thirty-eight smaller parties have picked the forms and a host of independents. After picking the forms, Mao disclosed that he had started a fundraising drive for sh9b for his 2011 presidential campaigns. He said he has already got a campaign truck equipped with a public address system. Mao revealed that DP has obtained a grant of 200m from Deepening Democracy Party (DP) for establishing DP party structures across the country. Asked for a comment, the FDC spokesperson, Wafula Oguttu, said: “I don’t known why he is accusing FDC and not IPC, FDC is only a subset of IPC, and we are just one of the five parties.” “FDC and IPC are trying to unit all forces against NRM and we are not going to stop anybody from joining us because of other considerations. “The people who are coming to join us are not forced, are not silly and they know what is right for their political future. The blame cannot be on us who are welcoming them. The blame can be on Mao himself on why he can’t hold his people together. Let him work on that. “What we want is a change and there are people who don’t want a change and we are working with those who want the change,” Oguttu explained. Presidential campaigns kick-off in November and the contest for next year’s presidential race will have incumbent Yoweri Museveni of NRM, two time runner-up Kiiza Besigye of FDC and the new entrant, Norbert Mao of DP and other candidates. The presidential nomination is slated for October 25 and 26. The aspirants will be nominated at the commission’s head offices in Kampala. The candidates must pay nomination fees of sh8m, collect 100 signatures from at least 75 districts and hand in three passport-size photos and certified copies of academic papers. Nominated aspirants will receive sh20m, a car and Police escorts. But where a candidate withdraws from the race within 30 days after nomination, such a candidate shall refund the money. The Electoral Commission, however, said it had planned for only 10 candidates and had already received 10 cars for them. The public relations officer, Charles Ochola, said the commission will adjust its budget depending on the final number of candidates. To be eligible for the presidential and parliamentary seats, a candidate must be a citizen of Uganda, a registered voter and have at least an A’ level certificate or its equivalent. A person cannot stand for president if he is of unsound mind, holds an office that handles elections, or is a cultural leader, or is bankrupt. Anyone under a death sentence or a sentence of imprisonment exceeding nine months without an option of a fine cannot also stand. Candidates may be disqualified if they have within seven years immediately preceding the election, been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or convicted over election crimes.

WHY WE DIDN'T JOIN THE IPC-MAO

As Uganda prepares for what many now believe will be a fierce battle for the presidency of the country, opposition political parties believe the best way to beat Yoweri Museveni, the incumbent, and stop him for staying in power for another five years (he has been in power for 24 years now), is to join forces and fight as one group. This led to the formation of the Inter Party Coalition (IPC) in order to maximise their voting power. But one of the country’s oldest parties, the Democratic Party (DP) chose not to join up. At a convention of the Ugandans in the Diaspora International (UDII) held at the Westin Hotel in Washington DC, we caught up with the DP leader, Nobert Mao and asked him what led to his party’s decision not to join the IPC. We now publish most of his lengthy reply to this question.
Below is his reply.
Everywhere I go, people don’t ask me what I’ll do as President. They ask me: Why are you not in the IPC? And so, I don’t understand Ugandans. I just wish to stop speculation by saying that we assessed the strength and weaknesses of the IPC as it is, because I think the IPC as it stands in the minds of some Ugandans is not the one that we have there. I will be very candid. If you want to have a smooth ride, you must have a vehicle with tyres that have balanced pressure. Now, the IPC in Uganda the tyres are not balanced. Others have bad rims; others have… (incomprehensible) so they are very wobbly. Secondly, diplomatically we believe that to move together you also have to grow together. The group that we are talking about, where is the group to grow?
Finally, conditions are about forces. At least I can be sure of some force behind me, based on what I have done in my political life, the values I stand for, my track record. If you are going to come together, even if you are saying you are coming as a team, you must bring your capacities. Now, if we say we are forming a football team here now, can you imagine the kind of game we are going to play in the stadium? It would be the most comic show ever because we have not been practising together (laughs). I do not know whether you are right or left footed. This is a bit of a problem. People talk about Kenya. In Kenya, everybody comes and you know, declares their assets, meaning, a political force behind them. Raila [Odinga] comes and says: ‘I declare Nyanza’. Njiru and Kalonzo say ‘we declare Ukambani’. The Kibaki group come and say ‘we hereby claim Mt Kenya’ and so on and so forth. Of course Mr Kenya was a bit split because there was Uhuru Kenyatta also. He also wanted to declare Mt Kenya but I think Kibaki had the upper hand. And then Mr Ruto declares [for] Rift Valley.
I am a very new party leader. I have only been the leader of the DP since February [2010] and I am fighting on many fronts. I have internal problems in the Democratic Party; there are sectarian forces [that] can’t imagine a person coming from Gulu leading the Democratic Party. There are problems of (sic)…the party we inherited is very weak. I can imagine if I had become President of the Democratic Party in 2005, I think we would now [be having] a very different kind of Democratic Party.
So in many ways, each of the partners in the IPC is also a burden to the UPC. So the FDC leader is now like ‘you take the IPC as oxen pulling an ox-plough. I think the other oxen are so weak that I think now Dr Besigye has got to pull both the plough and the other weak oxen. So it is already a very, very difficult task (laughs). It is dragging the other oxen which they don’t have the ability to pull. It is a question with no direct answer. So the proper question should have been: ‘What is your plan?’ I think our plan is to use this campaign first and foremost, to open the eyes of Ugandans because if you are obsessed with the result, you know, I think you do your best to see that the outcome is the total best of what you have done.
Sometimes I do farming [and] when I go farming, I worry about a lot of things. I make sure I plant in time, I make sure I weed, I make sure…and sometime you get a good yield. I think it is important that you use this presidential platform. And we in the Democratic Party, we came up with the idea of saying that President Museveni must wake up with five headaches a day. He must have an Otunnu headache, a Mao headache, A Besigye headache, a Lukyamuzi headache and (sic)…we must shape the country together wherever we go to deny him that 50 per cent plus and in the second round Ugandans would’ve sorted us out. Instead, we hear lots of attacks, so those of us who have really been consistently this Museveni regime for many years, now we are described as Museveni’s agents, Museveni’s moles and in many ways we need to ask the right questions.
The IPC also did not become a very good subject because of suspicion. I think when you are suspicious that perhaps it is an FDC thing, you know, and it was pre-arranged. Maybe we were wrong in (sic)…maybe we were just mixed up. But I think fears are normal, you know. If you think your neighbor is a witch he may not be actually a witch but that concept of yours will be in your memory for a long time (laughs). So it should have been the duty of all of us to keep on that kind of talking. I don’t know what is going to happen in 2011 but this is not the first attempt at coalition building. But if you want to build a coalition, the individual breaks must be strong in themselves. Otherwise you are just having a heap of sand, you know. You must have a party that is intact, which is fair and stable, and may be our party leaders don’t know what party building is. So, really, I don’t know but right now, in a few years time, no matter what happens next year, I want to be held to account, what sort of party I will be handing over to my successor. I have a track record of achievement, I have a track record of delivering, and I have a track record of getting things done. And coming around, even Gulu, which used to be a byword for all the bad things, we are trying to rebrand it. We will also try to work on the Democratic Party. But the Democratic Party took a decision. It was not a Mao decision as such. Actually, of most of the members of the leadership of the Democratic Party, I am the one who was most pro-IPC. I have an excellent personal relationship with Dr Besigye. I knew Dr Besigye as early as 1989 before many people even knew him. We formed together with Dr Besigye the Uganda anti-apartheid movement because we thought we were going to go to South Africa to sort out the apartheid [system]…. we were being one of the most radical students. I was Dr Besigye’s deputy. The position Salaam Musumba is occupying probably would have been mine if we had been moving together consistently, I would have been his Number Two.
And when President Nelson Mandela came to Uganda, Dr Besigye was in Bombo for training. I am the one who went to welcome President Mandela on behalf of our organisation in the then Nile Hotel. But we have disagreed on how to build this. I think the thing has collapsed at the designing stage and maybe because everybody was giving too many opinions. They say a camel is a horse designed by a committee. As you design a horse, somebody says ‘it needs a hump’ so they put a hump. The legs are too short, so the legs are lengthened, so you end up with a very clumsy creature and you say ‘Yea. This is a horse’. But this is my roundabout way out but just remembers what I told you earlier that we do not have a lot of horsepower to declare. If we had a lot of horsepower to declare, maybe we would (sic) it looks like after 2006 people took a break, you know. People disappeared; there was not a single rally. All these people you hear making noise that ‘Mao has done this, Mao has done that’, for once I am able to say we have a candidate in Rukiga County. I am capable of saying we have a medical doctor who returned recently from America and he is standing in Koboko. And that is what my mandate is all about because I know that the party was founded on solid principles, the party of Ben Kiwanuka was not founded on trivialities. It is we the leaders over the years who have trivialised the party bastardised it and prostituted it. And to me that is the biggest assignment right now.
The IPC thing unfortunately it did not work. It is the question that sometimes you ask people like Dr Otunnu: “Why are you not married, you know? (laughs).” Some questions are difficult to ask in the same way that they are difficult to answer. So we all have our reasons. Probably if you ask five DP members, they will each give different reasons. So I think it is just that they have not been moving together long enough so there is that kind of fear.
Plus, I think I have some messages that I want to give to Ugandans in 2011 which I think Ugandans must hear. And also, best on where I come from and our history of the struggle of evicting the NRM, and also, I can tell you that if President Museveni steals the elections, he is probably going to rule half of the country. That I can tell you categorically because most of our people have decided that this matter will be decided once and for all come 2011. One way or the other, it is going to be settled. We are better off each of us having a front. Only that we have not agreed on the supreme commander. We can be accused of being selfish, we can be accused of all sorts of things but you know, none of us campaigns to lead our parties in order not to run. We campaign in order to go and put a product before Ugandan. I wanted to be president in 2001 but I was too young. I was 34. I was disqualified. Then I wanted to be president in the 2006 but my party didn’t elect me. Now that my party has elected me, I want to go there and tell Ugandans what I have to offer.
The most important thing is the call of Ugandans. It is not for us, like I always say, if a lady asks three suitors, the lady would be doing herself a big injustice to say: ‘Now you three gentlemen, go and sort yourselves out. Who am I going to marry? I am tired, I have a lot of other things to do, I don’t want to read your CVs and so on. You go up and make up your mind’. That is what the IPC turned into and it became very complicated. The best is to go to Ugandans and ask them: ‘Who do you think is the best? Who do you trust the future of your children with? Who do you think can take the decisions that will influence your life positively? The ballot paper will be there. At least I am sure President Museveni will be there, [so will] Ambassador Otunnu, Dr Besigye, Nobert Mao, probably Bwanika and others. Ugandans are not silly. They will look up and down and take the one that they want.
The argument for cooperation is that by coming together, we would have helped Ugandans to come to a conclusion by implementing the sense of fragmentation because the sense of fragmentation empowers. That is the strongest argument. But in the absence of that, I think Ugandans should be told ‘make up your minds and chose’. And it is possible to get up and tell Ugandan to look and choose. And it is possible for Ugandans to choose because any vote that is not for Museveni is a good vote at this point. That is the only way we can console ourselves.

DP MITYANA ELECTS FLAG BEARERS

THE Democratic Party has completed electing district party leaders in Mityana. In the elections held at the Gombolola grounds on Sunday, Badru Mutesasira was re-elected the district chairperson, with Faustin Mukambwe as his deputy. Mukambwe is however the party flag bearer for Mubende District Chairperson elections 2011. Joseph Kyeyune was elected the district party spokesperson and Stephen Kibuuka, the secretary. Other leaders elected included Susan Nabuuma and Harriet Mulumba as the women leaders and Maria Gorrette Babirye, the women representative. Kyeyune said the elections were successful

DP CANDIDATE MURDERED

Mr Dickson Ssentongo, The DP Candidate for the councilors of Nantabulirirwa Parish in Ggoma Sub-County, Mukono District was early this morning killed by yet to be established assailants. Mr. Ssentongo, who also worked as news anchor with Prime Radio was waylaid by unidentified men at Nantabulirirwa village who reportedly hit him at around 5:00 am.
Mr Ssentongo is said to have been on his way to his working station on foot to catch a taxi on the main road. The assailants dragged him about 100 meters away from the scene of crime where they left him lying unconscious in a pool of blood, away from the road.
The 30-year-old journalist was pronounced dead on arrival at Mulago referral hospital.