By Aggrey Baba
Former Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) president and former Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson Ismael Kiirya has launched a scathing attack on DP President General Norbert Mao, accusing him of becoming overly attached to his ministerial position in President YK Museveni’s government, suggesting that he is unlikely to relinquish control of the party voluntarily.
Speaking during a podcast hosted by journalist Aggrey Baba and published on Mulengera Media’s YouTube channel, Kiirya claimed that Mao has significantly changed since joining the Cabinet as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs following the cooperation agreement signed between DP and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in July 2022. Detailed video recording can be accessed via this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PIbonp9Hjc&t=345s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRAViRoxj2o.
According to the former spokesperson, the Mao who once stood out as one of Uganda’s most formidable opposition figures is no longer the same political actor many DP supporters admired for challenging the government, as a strong opposition leader who inspired many people because he was fearless and consistent.
Kiirya argued that the cooperation agreement itself was not merely a political arrangement between two parties but a strategic move by President Museveni to neutralize a political rival who had become increasingly influential. He claimed that Museveni recognized both Mao and DP as political threats and saw cooperation as a way of weakening the opposition pressure they exerted.
However, he maintained that while the agreement may initially have been viewed as a political strategy, Mao has since become increasingly dependent on the privileges and influence associated with being in government.
According to him, Mao is now unlikely to willingly surrender either his ministerial position or the party presidency because the two positions have become politically intertwined.
Kiirya argued that Mao’s relevance in Mus3veni’s Cabinet is partly derived from the fact that he remains head of one of Uganda’s oldest political parties [DP], and that if you asked him (Mao) today to choose between being DP president and being minister, he would want both because one sustains the other.
“He got the ministerial position because he was DP president, and remaining DP president helps him remain useful to the government,” Kiirya said.
The remarks come at a time when discussions about the future leadership of the DP have begun emerging ahead of the next internal party elections.
Recently, DP Vice President Mukasa Mbidde publicly declared his intention to begin nationwide consultations aimed at mobilizing delegates ahead of the next National Delegates Conference. Mbidde indicated that he intends to contest for the party presidency, arguing that Mao will have completed his final term as party president in accordance with commitments he made during the recent delegates conference, where he vowed not run for presidency again next term.
But Kiirya warned party members, including Mbidde, not to assume that Mao will voluntarily step aside.
He pointed to previous instances where Mao had promised to leave office but remained in position.
Kiirya recalled that ahead of the 2021 general elections, Mao reportedly pledged to resign if the party failed to secure at least 15 parliamentary seats. The party eventually won fewer seats than that target, but Mao remained president.
“During the 2021 election season, he promised to resign if DP failed to get at least 15 MPs, but we only got nine. Did he ever resign?” Kiirya asked.
For that reason, Kiirya said he believes those hoping for a smooth transition of leadership may be disappointed, warning that people should stop waiting for Mao to simply hand over power.
“He has promised before and changed course later,” he argued, adding that Mao will not just wake up and leave, and so, those who want change in DP should begin thinking about other ways of achieving it.
Kiirya also used the interview to revisit allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the party, claiming that Mao has no moral authority to speak against corruption in national politics while serious accountability questions remain unresolved within DP.
He particularly criticised Mao’s public criticism of former speaker Anita Among, accusing her of corruption, saying DP itself first needs to address concerns raised by its own members.
Among the issues highlighted was the disappearance of a printing press that the party reportedly acquired several years ago.
Kiirya said the machine had been purchased, using money the party got through IPOD (tax payers’ money) to support campaign activities by producing campaign materials and to generate income for the party through commercial printing services.
He added that there had also been plans for the equipment to support a party-owned newspaper project.
According to Kiirya, the machine later disappeared under unclear circumstances and no satisfactory explanation has ever been provided despite repeated concerns.
“The printer was bought using tax payers’ money. It was supposed to help the party become financially stronger, but members have never been properly told what happened to it,” he said.
Kiirya further alleged that DP’s most recent National Delegates Conference in Mbarara was characterised by serious financial irregularities, claiming that although substantial funds were reportedly budgeted for delegates’ accommodation and welfare, many of them were forced to fend for themselves.
According to him, some delegates allegedly paid for their own accommodation and meals despite resources having been allocated for those services.
He further alleged that expenditure reports presented after the conference didn’t accurately reflect what transpired on the ground. Kiirya specifically accused the party leadership of failing to account for conference resources and questioned the accountability mechanisms surrounding the event.
The former UYD leader revealed that members associated with the DP at Heart pressure group have since petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to investigate the allegations, a petition which seeks investigations into the management of party funds, the disappearance of party assets, alleged abuse of office and other accountability concerns which the group believe have weakened DP. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
