By our reporter in Kampala
“Electoral Commission asked to halt the National Delegates Conference for subversion of electoral democracy within the DP’s internal process”.
The Independent Electoral Commission is considering a complaint against the Democratic Party Secretary General for subversion of electoral democracy within DP.
Julius Ddumba, one of the contestants who thought would challenge Hon. Norbert Mao in the next delegates conference but later dropped the bid citing irregularities complained to the Electoral Commission.
Ddumba had earlier submitted a formal petition to the chairman of DP complaining about conflict of interest in election oversight in the ongoing DP elections of leadership renewal.
Now through his lawyers, S.K & Partners Advocates, Mr. Ddumba challenges the Electoral Commission to immediately suspend the preparations of the DP National Delegates Conference due on 30th May, 2025.
In the petition, Mr. Ddumba alleges that the DP statutory election supervisors (Siranda Gerald and Herbert Rutagwera) being candidates in the same elections is a criminal abuse of office and an ethical lapse. The petition continues to read that, “Their dual roles violates the sacrosanct legal maxim nemo judex in causa sua (no one may judge their own cause)”.
Earlier last week, DP’s Deputy National Legal Advisor, Hon. Richard Lumu filed a similar petition to the Electoral Commission against the unlawful amendment of the Democratic Party constitution and abuse of internal electoral process citing fraudrent alteration of financial oversight, revival of the rejected amendment of the management committee, issuance if irregular internal guidelines, exclusion of youth provisions among others.
“As initiator of the legitimate amendment proposal at Gulu NDC, I firmly reject the changes as fraudulent, unconstitutional and injurious to the values and heritage of the Democratic Party. The amendments do not reflect the will of the delegates nor do they follow the constitutional processes required for their adaption. They are the result of unilateral actions driven by narrow personal interests at the expense of democratic accountability and internal cohesion”, reads part of Hon. Lumu’s petition.
Ddumba told the Politico Eye: “That Siranda went ahead to change the DP constitution the way he thinks would suit him and entrench him in power.
The DP’s 2025 gazetted constitution includes clauses that were not never ratified at the 2020 National Delegates Conference. Clause 15(B)(iv) resurrects a rejected “Management Committee” with dictatorial powers, while Clause 29(A)(a) centralizes financial control in Secretary General.
Ddumba also calls that the Chairperson of the National Consultative Forum (NCF) should consider investigating Siranda Gerald for the breach of the various provisions of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties.
Ddumba further pleads to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to investigate, sanction and prosecution of the person of the Secretary General of Democratic Party for breach of s.15(1) of the Leadership Code Act and s. 11(1) of the Anti Corruption Act.
Efforts to by our reporters to reach out to Siranda Gerald about the said allegations remained futile.
It is not clear now whether the DP National Delegates Conference will be held as earlier scheduled.