By Edith Chuchu Byanyima
Dear Honourable Nobert Mao,
I write to you publicly, deliberately, and on record regarding the continuing governance and constitutional crisis within the Democratic Party (DP).
Suits challenging the legality of certain Party processes and the constitution of key organs were recently dismissed by courts on preliminary objections. Particularly for failure to exhaust internal party remedies.
These dismissals are procedural, not substantive. They did not interrogate the merits of the grievances raised, nor did they validate the legality of the actions complained of. The core issues therefore remain unresolved.
It is misleading and potentially damaging to the integrity of the party to present procedural dismissals as judicial endorsement of the status quo. Doing so risks entrenching division, silencing legitimate internal dissent.
It is important for Party members and the public to understand this clearly: no court has pronounced itself on the legality of the current DP governance arrangements.
The crisis confronting DP is not a technical one. It is political, constitutional, and moral. Party organs whose legitimacy is contested continue to function as if legality were a matter of convenience rather than obligation. Internal democracy has been replaced by procedural manipulation, exclusion, and the selective invocation of rules to silence dissent.
As President General, you are not a bystander to this crisis. You are its constitutional custodian. Responsibility for ensuring lawful, democratic, and inclusive Party governance rests squarely on your office. A transparent acknowledgement that the matters raised in court by members remain legally unjudicated is a necessary important step toward honest dialogue.
The continued reliance on technicalities—whether internal procedures or court objections—to avoid addressing substantive illegality is an abuse of legalism. Law exists to restrain power, not to shield it. Procedure cannot be used to defeat accountability.
This open letter therefore serves as public notice that:
– The grievances raised by members persist and constitute a continuing violation of the Party Constitution and democratic norms;
– The procedural dismissal of the court cases did not cure or legitimise the impugned actions;
– Silence or inaction by Party leadership will be treated as confirmation that internal reform is being deliberately resisted.
I now respectfully call upon you to:
1. Acknowledge the legitimacy of the concerns raised by dissenting members;
2. Take responsibility for restoring lawful and inclusive Party governance;
3. Facilitate a transparent, participatory process to resolve the constitutional and organisational disputes within DP.
Failure to do so will leave members with no option but to pursue all available legal, constitutional, and political remedies, including appellate and supervisory court processes, as well as political reorganisation outside the current compromised structures.
This letter is written without prejudice to any ongoing or intended legal proceedings. It is issued not out of hostility, but out of fidelity to the Democratic Party’s founding ideals and to the broader struggle for democratic governance in Uganda.
Yours sincerely,
Edith Chuchu Byanyima
Member, Democratic Party
