Norbert Mao Clinches Fourth Term as Democratic Party President

Norbert Mao has been re-elected as the President General of the Democratic Party (DP), securing a fourth term at the helm of Uganda’s oldest political party. Mao won the top seat with 969 votes, defeating his main rival Dr. Lulume Bayigga, who garnered 339 votes, while Elia Alitia trailed with 52 votes.

The long-awaited election, initially slated for Saturday, faced delays and was eventually conducted under a heavy police presence due to mounting unrest within party ranks. The voting process was overshadowed by chaotic scenes at the the venue of the delegates conference in Mbarara city, forcing electoral officials to shift the tallying exercise to a hotel in Kampala as tensions boiled over among delegates.

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Several party members protested what they described as an exclusionary and non-transparent process, with some alleging manipulation in the registration of delegates. Scuffles broke out but later quelled by the police.

Mao’s re-election solidifies his leadership of the DP, a position he has held since 2010. Over the years, Mao has faced criticism from within and outside the party, especially following his controversial 2022 cooperation agreement with President Yoweri Museveni’s government  a move seen by many traditional opposition supporters as a betrayal of the party’s founding ideals.

Despite the backlash, Mao has defended the agreement as a necessary step for national dialogue and democratic consolidation. He has repeatedly insisted that the DP under his leadership seeks to influence change from within the system.

Under his tenure, the DP has struggled with internal fractures, with some factions breaking away or growing increasingly critical of the party’s direction. Nonetheless, Mao has maintained a firm grip on the party’s top leadership, projecting himself as a reformist and moderate voice in Uganda’s sharply polarized political landscape.