Is Democratic Party the Judas Iscariot of Ugandan politics?

Indeed, he joined the government along with several DP members who have been handed plum roles to serve the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government of President Yoweri Museveni.

Thereby reminding Ugandans of 1964, when the DP Secretary General, Basil Bataringaya, joined the then ruling party Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party, together with five other DP members of parliament: James Ochola (MP South East Bukedi), Stanislaus Okurut (MP South Teso), M. K. Patel (MP South Jinja), Joseph Magara (MP South West Bunyoro), and Francis Mugeni (MP South Bukedi).

Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere Pulse

Before we step back in time, however, we must quickly look at the DP of today in terms of electoral strength at the highest levels of government.

DP has only nine members of parliament out of a parliament of 529 MPs of whom over 300 belong to the NRM. This leaves the party vulnerable to being swallowed whole by the NRM.

DP and NRM agreement

Mao, according to the agreement, was appointed minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, a post which has been vacant for over a year. While another DP leader will also be appointed to a junior ministerial position.

Other than the ministerial appointments, the NRM will back the nomination of a DP member of parliament to be the chair of a standing committee and another deputy chair of an additional committee.

Norbert Mao Pulse

The NRM also agreed to support the election of the DP candidate to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda has already been nominated as the party candidate.

DP is also to propose not more than four persons for appointment to departments, statutory bodies and government agencies, the portfolios thereof shall be agreed upon by both parties.

The late John Ssebaana Kizito Pulse

Shades of yesteryear

Apart from the aforementioned crossings of DP members to the UPC in 1964 in 1966, David Barisigara (MP Kigezi West) joined UPC.

Then, in 1982, DP Chief Whip, John Magezi (Iganga North West MP) and a number of other DP MPs joined UPC including Dr G.N Muzira (MP Jinja East), Dr D. K. Kazungu (MP Kamuli Central), M. P. Batumbya (MP Kamuli West), D. J. K. Nabeta (MP Iganga South West) and J. K. Mpaula (MP Kamuli East).

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Pulse

In 1986, Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, the then DP President General, along with DP members John Ssebana Kizito and Museveni in-law Sam Kutesa served the short-lived military junta of Generals Bazilio and Tito Okello. Then, six months later, joined Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement government.

Museveni himself claims to have been in DP, thereby leaving many wondering whether the party is a conveyour belt providing leaders for every other party but its own, at the price of 30 pieces of silver.