Dr. Lulume Bayigga. The leading DP President contender has denounced Siranda’s announcements for the nomination fees to those intending to stand in the DP National Delegates Conference as illegal and a threat to democracy that paves the way for the appointment of “political lackeys” and widespread institutional corruption.
The announcement of such exorbitant nomination fees last week, without consulting any party organs, including the NEC, has also been widely condemned as illegal by a wide section of DP members aspiring for various party leadership positions.
Counsel Elitia Elia, the DP Vice President Northern region who is also a DP Presidential contestant, told Politico Eye that the announcements were anti-democratic because they ride roughshod over the DP statutory organ of the NEC requiring the Secretary General to consult and introduce the said fees to the NEC and the reason for such fees before he can announce them to the general public.
“This is not about any of our jobs. We acknowledge that the SG has the right to suggest fees as he chooses. But the protections that were baked into the DP constitution are everything, absent having to provide a real reason. We’re looking at what amounts to a threat to democracy, a threat to independent oversight, and a threat to transparency in DP,” he said.
Members of the NEC and NC are contemplating petitioning the National Chairperson compelling him to call for the Special National Council meeting to iron out such differences within the DP and its internal election process.
Dr. Lulume the Member of Parliament for Buikwe South who has challenged Hon. Norbert Mao in the previous election, told Politico Eye that the DP consititution provides for someone to manage elections process at the beginning of the NDC not for the SG to sit in his office and select the team to manage elections where he (Siranda) is a candidate.
“I recommend that a Special National Council meeting should be called to clear such an impasse. At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to hold free and fair elections in DP.
If he (Siranda) goes down a path of choosing nomination fees as he wishes and appointing delegates to the NDC without the due process, then I think DP members and leaders throughout the country should be up in arms,” said Dr. Lulume.
The move has also met with denunciation from members of NEC and others as an attempt by Siranda to avoid scrutiny and accountability as he seeks to be re-elected to the offcie of the Secretary General.
