As the Democratic Party (DP) prepares for her forthcoming Delegates Conference late this month, things in the Uganda’s oldest party seem to be going out of hands as several complaints over alleged irregularities in the internal election process continue to emerge.
Julius Ddumba, the outgoing Uganda Young Democratic (UYD), Chairperson for Kampala District, but also eyeing the party’s top office becomes the recent complainant to raise concerns of irregularities grounded on five (5) issues.
In a five paged document to the National Council (NC), a top party organ, Ddumba alleges that; without approval for the National Executive Committee (NEC), presidential nomination fee was increased from five million to ten million Uganda Shillings, which he believes has deterred competent but financially constrained aspirants.
He also accuses the party’s Secretary General, Gerald Black Siranda, of conflict of interest by overseeing an exercise where he is a candidate.
Another for the petition, is a National Delegates Register which he claims has over 80% of unverified voters from the grass-root where the lower election exercise hasn’t taken place.
Ddumba further questions the fees changes, payment channels, and failure to shoe a gazetted amendments of the Gulu Delegates Conference and hence, causing suspicious and transparent unanswered questions.
the Youthful aspirant also, accuses his current party leadership of commercialization of the internal party politics, with exorbitant fees, which jeopardizes the party’s principle of inclusivity.
It is above the grounds above, that the youthful politician asks the top party organ to take actions against the leaders in question and issues raised by among other mechanisms, to suspend and audit the exercise but also set up a commission of inquiry to look into the allegations.
Ddumba wants the fees to be reversed, an independent election committee be constituted and disband the current “unapproved” election committee.
He also wants a copy of the gazetted verified amendments of the Gulu National Delegates Conference Resolutions and constitutional amendments as received by the National Independence Electoral commission.
The Youth leader also seeks for the establishment of a transparent payment system, Secretary General steps aside to avoid conflict of interest on addition for a public apology to the NEC, NC, party members and the public.
On addition to requesting the NDC to to develop guidelines to be followed for a free and fair exercise, Ddumba has also given a seven (7) days ultimatum to the National Council to convene an emergency meeting for him to present all these concerns in person.
DP top office so far attracted over four aspirants including the incumbet, Hon.Norbert Mao, Hon. Lulume Bayiga, Richard Ssebamala and the Ddumba Julius.
By: Mukose Arnold Anthony, Journalist at Digitalk TV, an Online Media Platform, that offers space to the unheard, vulnerable barred and silenced voices.
mukosearnanth@gmail.com