Court quashes Democratic Party faction NEC elections

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court in Kampala has quashed the recent elections that were conducted by a section of Democratic party members to purportedly fill up vacant positions in the National Executive Committee.

DP members led by Rajab Ssenkubuge convened a meeting on March 13, 2020, to allegedly fill-up the vacant positions of National Executive Committee chairperson, Secretary-General, National Treasurer and Vice-Chairperson for the Women’s League. Their meeting was based on an order issued by the former head of the Civil Division of the High Court Justice Dr Andrew Bashaija.

Consequently, Wakiso district chairperson Matia Lwanga Bwanika was elected National Chairperson of the party, Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona was elected Secretary-General, Masaka Woman MP Mary Babirye Kabanda was elected the National Treasurer while Patrick Katuramu was elected the Deputy National Treasurer.

Also elected was Racheal Kagoya as the Deputy Women’s leader and Alex Kiwanuka as the DP representative in Busoga region. But a few weeks after the elections, Party President Nobert Mao sued Rajab Senkubuge and his faction seeking an order to quash the decision by Justice Bashaija.

Today, High Court Judge Musa Ssekaana said that Ssenkubuge had obtained the said order against Democratic Party Uganda, a non existent entity, instead of the Democratic party that is registered in accordance with the Political Parties and Organizations Act.

Justice Musa Ssekaana ruled that the said elections were illegal because they were not conducted through consensus by the National Executive Committee. He has now advised individual party members never again to hijack the mandate of NEC because it will cause a state of confusion within the party.

“Individual party members should never hijack that mandate otherwise there will be ‘organizational disarray’ which would be sowing seeds of confusion in the party. Decision making should be a preserve of the high command headed by the National Chairman”, he added.

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