The Democratic Party president general says rebuilding local branches, preparing candidates early and restoring member commitment are essential to strengthening the party amid lingering divisions over its leadership and cooperation with the ruling NRM.
Democratic Party (DP) president general Norbert Mao has urged party leaders to rebuild grassroots structures, prepare candidates early and restore a culture of commitment, saying the party must strengthen its local branches to remain competitive in the 2031 elections.
Mao said DP’s electoral prospects depended less on national leadership contests and social media activity than on leaders establishing political bases in their constituencies, mobilising supporters and developing candidates capable of winning elective positions.
Addressing journalists at the party offices, Mao said the newly elected leaders, many of them young and inexperienced, needed guidance from veterans who had spent years building political support.
“We have a new set of leaders who were elected in Mbarara. Many of them have never led before. Many of them are very young. It is our duty to point them in the right direction,” Mao said.
His remarks come amid lingering divisions following the party’s 2025 national delegates’ conference in Mbarara, where disputes over leadership, the electoral process and DP’s cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) exposed deep internal disagreements.
Mao said the party should use its experience of conflict as an opportunity to rebuild rather than allow disagreements to weaken its structures further.
“I personally don’t believe in dividing. I’m a uniter, not a divider,” he said, adding that he had never sought to dictate what members should say or think during party meetings.
Mao urged leaders to return to their local branches and organise from the ground up instead of concentrating on national positions and online disputes.
“Leave Kampala, go back to your branches and build from the ground,” he said. “Leave the WhatsApp groups.”
He argued that social media activity could create an illusion of political influence without translating into votes.
“If shouting on WhatsApp groups were votes, many of our people would be members of parliament, they would be councillors,” Mao said.
He called on members to recruit supporters, organise local activities and identify prospective candidates without waiting for instructions from the national leadership.
Mao also urged DP to begin selecting and preparing candidates for the 2031 elections, giving them time to build relationships with voters and establish a record of service before campaigns begin.
“Let us start selecting and equipping candidates for the next election today,” he said.
He compared the party’s desired grassroots organisation to the Catholic Church, whose local institutions operate without waiting for direction from the Vatican, arguing that national leadership should be earned through demonstrated political experience at lower levels.
Mbarara conference exposed divisions
At the June 2025 delegates’ conference, Mao secured another term as president general amid protests and allegations of electoral irregularities.
The contest was overshadowed by disputes over delegate verification, candidate eligibility and DP’s relationship with the NRM. Bukoto Central MP Richard Sebamala was excluded from the presidential race, prompting protests from his supporters, while Buikwe South MP Michael Lulume Bayiga questioned the fairness of the process.
Mao won with 969 votes, against Bayiga’s 339 and Elia Alitia’s 52. The results did not resolve the disagreements, with rival camps continuing to challenge the conference’s legitimacy.
The divisions were also rooted in opposition to the cooperation agreement Mao signed with President Yoweri Museveni and the NRM in 2022, which preceded his appointment as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Critics have argued that the arrangement compromised DP’s opposition identity, while Mao’s supporters have defended cooperation as a means of influencing government.
Bayiga later joined the People’s Front for Freedom, saying the Mbarara conference had marked a breaking point in his relationship with DP.
Mao urged members not to allow disagreements to become permanent divisions, saying political organisations required patience and a willingness to work through difficult periods.
To illustrate the importance of building a political base, Mao recalled losing the DP presidency in 2005 and returning to Gulu to reorganise rather than remain in Kampala challenging the party leadership.
“I disappeared. I folded my tail, and slowly tiptoed back home. I went to Gulu to reorganize, and I came back stronger,” he said.
He cautioned against politicians who frequently change constituencies or parties in search of immediate opportunities, arguing that sustained political work required consistency.
Mao also urged young members to learn from experienced politicians and demonstrate their value through service rather than constantly demanding positions or benefits.
“Ask, what can you do for DP? Not what can DP do for you,” he said.
He recalled considering leaving DP in 2000 because of internal bickering but said he ultimately remained committed to the party.
Mao said dissatisfied members were free to leave or return, but urged those who remained to commit themselves to strengthening the organisation.
The challenge for DP is whether grassroots mobilisation and early candidate preparation can translate into electoral gains while the party addresses grievances over its leadership, internal processes and relationship with the NRM.
With the 2031 elections approaching, rebuilding local branches will require not only recruiting supporters and identifying candidates but also restoring trust and accommodating competing views on the party’s political direction.