By BM
The Democratic Party (DP) has plunged into its most serious internal crisis in years, as a group of senior members led by former MP and presidential hopeful Hon. Dr. Michael Philip Lulume Bayigga filed a petition before the High Court of Uganda Holden at Mbarara, seeking to nullify the results of the party’s 12th National Delegates’ Conference, held in May 2025 in Mbarara City.
The petition widely seen as the opening strike in a high-stakes internal power struggle directly targets DP President General Norbert Mao, accusing him and his allies of engineering a fraudulent electoral process and illegally amending the party’s constitution to consolidate personal control over Uganda’s oldest political party
Filed through M/s S.K & Partners Advocates, the suit lists the Democratic Party as the 1st Respondent, along with several top officials including the Secretary General, Presiding Officer, National Organizing Secretary, Mao himself (as 5th Respondent), the National Chairman, Vice President, and the Electoral Commission of Uganda.
This legal offensive comes just weeks after Dr. Lulume defected to the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) a rising political force that has drawn support from opposition figures disillusioned by the state of Uganda’s traditional parties.
Despite having crossed to PFF, Lulume argues that the process that re-elected Mao and altered the DP constitution must be reversed through legal means, citing what he calls “gross illegality, disenfranchisement, and betrayal of democratic values.”
At the disputed conference, Norbert Mao was declared the newly elected president of the Democratic Party for a fourth term after securing 969 votes in a tightly contested internal election.
His closest challenger, Dr. Lulume, received 339 votes, while Elia Alitia managed 52.
However, the tallying exercise was controversially shifted from the main conference venue in Mbarara to a hotel in Kampala amid rising tensions and protests from sections of the party.
The election, originally scheduled for a Saturday, was delayed and conducted under heavy security, raising concerns among observers. Delegates reported violence, intimidation, and the suppression of dissent during the process.
The petition argues that the National Delegates’ Conference was illegally convened without the required approval of the National Executive Committee or National Council, both of which are constitutionally mandated to authorize such gatherings.
The case is backed by a wide array of Democratic Party figures from across Uganda.
Alongside Dr. Bayigga (1st Applicant), the petitioners include Julius Dumba (Kampala District Youth Leader, 2nd Applicant), Ismail Kiirya (President, Uganda Young Democrats), and Hon. Richard Kizito Lumu (DP Deputy Legal Advisor).
Other applicants are Alex Ochaki (NEC Representative, West Nile), Henry Lameck Kasoozi Kamya (Chairperson, Mawokota North), Anthony Waddimba (Kayunga District Youth Leader), Alex Kiwanuka (Iganga District Chairperson), Lukas Wakooli Lukas (Bugiri District Chairperson), and Posiano Musisi (Organizing Secretary, Kayunga District).
Additional petitioners include Joyce Harriet Nannyanzi (contestant for Deputy UYD President), Patrick Nsubuga (polling agent), Florence Kyembuga (delegate from Mukono), Edith C. Byanyima , George Atweeta (Rubanda District Chairperson), Charles Zziwa (aspirant for National Vice President), Patrick Ssekamatte (Luweero District Executive Secretary), and Sunday Asau (contestant for Deputy Secretary, International & Diaspora Affairs).
These leaders spanning senior and grassroots levels claim the entire electoral process was flawed, unconstitutional, and orchestrated to eliminate competition and entrench Mao’s grip on power.
Among the most shocking allegations is the emergence of a mysterious “Ballot Box No. 12”, reportedly stuffed with votes exclusively for Mao.
Petitioners argue this box did not appear during the actual voting process and only surfaced during a secretive tallying session in Kampala, where agents of rival candidates were **barred from observing.
Dr. Lulume, in his affidavit, claims that despite paying the nomination fee (which had been raised from UGX 2 million to UGX 10 million without NEC approval), he was never officially nominated, denied access to the delegates’ register, and restricted from campaigning fairly.
The petition further alleges the use of “ghost delegates”, including students from Bishop Stuart University and St. Joseph’s Vocational School, who were allegedly smuggled in to vote as delegates.
They also cite biased campaign time allocations, with Mao given extended airtime while opponents were limited to minutes.
The petition accuses Mao’s leadership of also forcing through unconstitutional amendments including provisions that limit members’ access to courts and channel disputes through internally biased mechanisms.
Adding to the controversy, Norbert Mao currently serving as Uganda’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs recently picked up presidential nomination forms through DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda for his 2026 presidential bid.
Critics say this move underscores the urgency of the legal challenge and highlights the contradiction between Mao’s national ambitions and alleged internal abuses within his party.
The petitioners are seeking a court declaration to nullify the election results and constitutional amendments, an injunction against their enforcement, a directive to hold fresh elections, and a ban on the Electoral Commission recognizing any disputed documents.
Within the Democratic Party, insiders describe rising panic and urgent closed-door consultations as leaders grapple with the fallout.
Some senior members are reportedly pushing for emergency reconciliation talks to avert what is being described as an imminent implosion of the party.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission, listed as the 8th Respondent, is accused of rubber-stamping illegal constitutional amendments and a fraudulent delegates’ list.
If the court rules in favor of the petitioners, the Commission could be forced to de-gazette the disputed changes and withdraw recognition of the current DP leadership.
Observers say the case could have landmark implications for internal democracy in Uganda’s political parties, many of which have long faced allegations of authoritarian tendencies, rigged internal processes, and entrenched leadership.
As the High Court of Uganda Holden at Mbarara prepares to hear the case in the coming weeks, the political future of the Democratic Party and perhaps Uganda’s opposition at large hangs in the balance.
For Norbert Mao, the battle to maintain control of DP may prove just as contentious as his presidential ambitions. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
