GOMESI AS NATIONAL DRESS: HOW NATIONAL, HOW DRESSY, WHICH NATION?

1/8 Gomesi started being with us in 1940s when it was adapted as the dress for boarding schools in Uganda, starting with Gayaza.  Gayaza, as we know was founded by Christian missionaries '…to train girls especially the daughters of chiefs in those skills that would make them better wives'. 

 

2/8 Initially, the ladies of the school donned the basic Kiganda ladies’ attire of the day: a sheet of cotton cloth wrapped around the breasts and tied to the waist with a smaller strip of cloth.  This left much of the torso exposed and there were often some accidents with that attire especially when the ladies went to work in the school shambas. The missionary tutors found the exposure of the ladies’ torsos and breasts indecent and sought to craft a dress code that was a compromise of their own fashions and the bed sheet-like sash with which the ‘natives’ draped themselves (see attached picture, from Speke’s journal of the ‘discovery’ of the Nile). 

 

3/8 They enlisted the services of a tailor from Gayaza trading centre, an Indian called Fernando Gomes.  Mr Gomes was from Goa , an Indian province formally under the Portuguese.  The people there like Mr Gomes and the Pintos, Almeidas etc adopted Portuguese names. 

 

4/8 In designing the new Gayaza uniform, Mr Gomes maintained the extravagant sash, very much like the oriental Kimono or West African Obi that was to form a massive skirt.  On to this, he stitched a quasi blouse with a square neck with two buttons opening on the left.  The new dress was named after him, hence, gomesi.  This became the first uniform for all girls in boarding schools (hence ‘boodingi’) and when they went back home for holidays, the traditional authorities were impressed by the new fashion, turning it into the ‘traditional’ dress. 

 

5/8 Mr Gomes was later to be evicted from Gayaza by the Anti-Asian rioters in the late 1940s.  A fifth generation Indian Raj Vajrakaya Gomez has recently come up to claim that he is a grandchild of Gomes and wants the 'bodingi' to be patented to benefit the family of its designer.  His claim can however be doubted because his name, Gomez is Spanish where as the Portuguese version given to the Goans has a letter‘s’. 

 

6/8 The gomesi dress symbolises the ostentation and conspicuous display and extravagancy of feudal society where value for money is an alien concept.  From one gomesi, a contemporary designer can make at least 3 size 12 ladies’ dresses….let alone the ‘Kikoyi’, 'kitambi and ‘Kitambala’ that accompany that courtly attire. 

 

7/8 The gomesi can only be a ‘national dress’ (hopefully for ladies only) if the nation’s life is going to be confined to the slothfulness, lethargy, flamboyance, splendour and vanity of the feudal court.  An active, productive, non-parasitic, bi-cycle riding, boda-boda mobile female population cannot manage in that cumbersome garb.  A mukiga lady will not wear it, and never wears it, and in much of the West, the less cumbersome two-piece dress and sheet remains popular: it makes it easy to shed off the sheet, which for the gomesi and get on with work, is the entire garb.  

 

 

8/8 To think that ‘Gomesi’ is a traditional dress is a bit problematic when we do not even have a vernacular name for it and at the very moment when some of us are agitating for a ‘national’ language.  Looking at the name Gomes itself, its Portuguese origin makes the naming of the attire for our women even more problematic.  Gomes or Gomez in Spanish derives from ‘Guma’ meaning a man or male, or masculine….i.e., Mwami/Ejakait/Ladit.  A name that refers to masculinity, for a dress that embodies femininity is a comical contradiction in terms!

Buganda traditional dress:

 

 

  

 

Lance Corporal (Rtd) Patrick Otto

WHY THE DP “MBALE” MEETING WAS ILLEGAL

WHY THE “MBALE” MEETING WAS ILLEGAL

Accept our heartfelt salutations to you dear comrades in Democracy.  This is coming at the climax of so many activities after the scandalous un-constitutional Mbale DP meeting that no right thinking DP leader/member attesting “Truth & Justice”, “constitutionalism”, rule of law”, etc would seek to benefit. As you will read below, there was gross amount of fraud so patently perpetrated in the name of the party and democracy.

Like many of you folks, I share the profound pain for non-attendance and what went on in Mbale, thus appreciating the widespread queries as to what happened and why we didn’t go to Mbale.

It is therefore essential for us to give a detailed explanation as to why we didn’t attend and are still opposed to the outcomes of what we consider to be an illegal, fraudulent and sham Mbale DP Delegates Conference.

MBALE MEET WAS SUCH A MONUMENTAL FRAUD, A SHAM AND AN UNPRECEDENTED ILLEGALITY IN THE HISTORY OF DP:

1.                We construed the entire process leading to the meeting in Mbale, as a well abetted ploy by the NRM to pre-empt the constitutional process of DP’s NEC to hold a National delegates Conference for the Party.

(see info below and ref. to Amama Mbabazi’s alleged statehouse’s correspondences with the Mbale eventual victors and losers witnessed in the New Vision, Bukedde, Monitor, Red Pepper, Kamunye, with the supporting evidence on the big Bukedde Bill Boards at the Entrances of Major Towns – Mbale, Jinja, Masaka).

2.                There was gross disregard and overturning chapters 1-10 of the DP constitution, in spirit, substance and by the letter. In fact, the Organizers of the purported Mbale Delegates conference were not only illegitimate, but copiously unconstitutional in all their cause and actions in the run-up-to (and even during) the event. Thus it would be a great disservice to all democrats and the nation at large to participate in an event that contradicts the Party constitution, the political party and organizations act (PPOA) and the National Constitution.

3.                The bona-fide DP members at the sub-branches, constituency branches and district were grossly denied a voice and were in effect disenfranchised when a handful of people in the names of Isa Kikungwe, Matia Nsubuga, Polly Mukiibi, Dab Opinya, John Sebaana and Co. arrogated themselves responsibility, without the sanction of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

The deliberate actions of the rebellious faction to handpick and select delegates and district leaderships throughout the country, instead of electing them democratically, as conditioned by the DP constitution, catapulted unprecedented levels of illegality and fraud. The normal procedures and process of leadership regeneration was circumvented for selfish interests and the DP constitution, as submitted to the registrar of companies and electoral commission under the Political party organizations Act (PPOA), was overturned.

4.                There is overwhelming evidence, some of which now well documented in the mainstream media outlets (not challenged to-date) and the suspicious conduct of the perpetrators (all self-avowed socialists) and their conspiring abettors and agents that there was a pulpable ploy to saw confusion and frustrate Democratic Party membership around the Country.

This would not only help pre-empt and block the process of holding a constitutionally authentic National DP Delegates conference, but also (for whatever reasons these “DP leaders” had) would give bad press to DP and play well in the hands of our opponents because :

It is a futile process that its illegality and unconstitutionality lead to automatic self –disqualification, with serious penalties (including banning the party not to participate in general elections for a couple of election seasons) handed down to the party and its flag bearer(s) if any smart citizen challenges it (them) in the Courts of law.

In our view therefore, DPs and Ugandans deserve better, not the usual excuses that “we knew about this illegality, fraud and unconstitutionality but failed to forestall it or forecast it” - a similitude of the 2001 “seya saga/circus” that instead bolstered Besigye’s Reform Agenda – now FDC.

5.                There was open fixing of elections, almost in over 90% of the district branches under the overseer-ship and control of a one Hon. Issa Kikungwe, with no know leadership position on NEC nor within the organs of the DP constitution. The practice of fixing “DP Elections” conducted by the  so-called internal electoral committee (IEC) of a one Polly Mukiibi was contested to no redress (fell on deaf ears). Never could we go to Mbale with a factional “Internal Electoral Commission(er)” appointed by a faction on the 18^th July 2009. They choose a committee of 5 but later 2 members (Mr. Twallah Kadalla and Dr. Kasozi) publicly resigned sighting gross irregularities and fraudulent operations to serve interest of their appointing authhorities (Kikungwe-Mbidde-Nsubuga-Kezaala and colleagues in the joint campaign team of candidates Mao and Sebagala”).   

In fact, following the above scenario, the factional IEC was disbanded earlier on the 19^th Oct. 2009 and some of the fraud-stars suspended and/or expelled by resolutions of NEC for excessive gangsterism and being subversive to the party, except for Mbidde who had been expelled earlier in September 2009, by Patron Ssebaana and colleagues in UYD, for suspected financial dealings with state house and ISO.

6.                Under the DP constitution (Art. 12) only NEC can, through a democratic decision (either by consensus or vote in its meeting), convene a Notional Delegates conference (NDC).  Even under unusual times, NEC would be obliged to convene a Special Delegates Conference (SDC) if requisitioned by a ¼ of the NEC members or district executives (ref. 13 (a), b (i) & (ii).  Were any of the above done? No. It was therefore  gross indiscipline and a profane attack on the DP constitution and its core-values for a faction to unilaterally proceed with the type of Mbale conference inspite of:-

(a)        Every effort made by eminent persons like Prof. F. Ssempebwa, Hon. President Emeritus P.K. Ssemogerere, former Nganzi  ya Ankole & DP District Chairman Busenyi J. Kabaireho, Mzee J.B. Isabirye, Pastor Musitwa, H.E Cardinal E.K. Wamala and others, to give good counsel and reconcile the party into unity ahead of other programmes.

(b)        The tremendous work done by the party to ensure grass-root elections that would give every member and every part of the Country opportunity to elect delegates to the National Delegates conference.

7.                Under the circumstances prescribed in (6) above, and prior to the 18^th Feb. purported Mbale Delegates Conference, NEC had clearly pronounced itself not to attend, so as not to give credence and thereafter handing over to an illegally convened meeting.

8.                There were other glaring constitutional-administrative and technical oversights, so overwhelming that they were bound to contaminate Mbale and make the validity of the outcomes of the Mbale meeting; inconsequential, illegitimate and a plain legal nullity.

(a)        Delegates and branch/sub-branch leaderships were merely selected and/or handpicked instead of being elected throughout the various levels as provided for under the DP constitution.

(b)        On several occasions since November 2009, the DP President (Hon. Ssebaana Kizito) the National Chairman (Prof. J. Mukiibi) the National Treasurers (Mrs Sarah Kanyike and Mr. John Mugisha), the organizing secretaries (Mr. Deo Njoki and Mr. John Tusiime), the Women Leader (Ms. Christine Ikiria), the competent Legal minds in NEC including Senior Counsel J.Balikuddembe (V. President Buganda), Ms. Susan Abbo (DP National Youth Leader), Mr. Peter Sebyuma and Hon. Elias Lukwago (National Legal Advisors) and other substantive officials of NEC had openly and in writing based on sound reasons denounced the Mbale meeting due to the massive illegalities involved, the irregularities in its organization and fraud sighted in the various petitions including those from 2 prominent members of the said IEC that used to fix the “elections”.

(c) Mbale was organized devoid of the National Organizing Secretary and the National Treasurer’s involvement. In fact the National Organizing Secretary (Mr. Deo Njoki), his deputy National Organizing Sec. (Mr. John Tumusiime) and the Deputy Treasurer then Acting National Treasurer (Mr. John Mugisha) were fraudulently and illegally chased out of Office by the Kikungwe-Sebaana-Sebagala-Nsubuga group and their files, membership card-booklets and office desks confiscated.

This had several serious implications among others:

i.       There were no organized DP Members and voters registers and hence fake Delegates in Mbale that included crooks, impostors and members from other parties, and as such its memberships (delegates”) would not be verifiable – Ref: revelations from Seya & co. admissions and reports from bitter district Chairmen as well as delegates who missed out or who were hoodwinked/tricked into attendance.

ii.   There was a deliberate circumvention of constitutional procedures to solicit, procure, deposit and disburse monies since the National Finance Committee and the office of the National Treasurer were rendered dysfunctional for the selfish interests of President Ssebaana and Hon. Isa Kikungwe, later becoming apparent that they were working in concert with Vice President Mao.

iii.It had all the hallmarks of a sinister ploy to defraud the bona-fide DPs of their monies - since money solicited in their name and the proceeds of sales of fake cards circumvented the constitutional procedures and went to personal accounts, hence a fragrant contravention of Articles 18(f), 31(f), 33(e), 59, 60(b), 62 and 63 of the DP constitution.

iv.  It was also a suspect arrangement, to the wider DP leadership and membership, meant to cover-up the mega deals widely leaked in the media between the ring-leaders of the Mbale breakaway faction and State-house/intelligence officials.

v.      Mbale group did not consider the authentic credentials committee set up by NEC which meant that unqualified people would sieve through to the leadership ranks without proper vetting and screening. While this could suit the organizers of the Meet, it was bound to disadvantage the distinguished servants (members) of the party who play by the rules, let alone leaving open loopholes for mediocre leaders and former convicts to ride high, in the name of the party that cherishes reward of service, merit, common decency and brain power.

(d)        The Mbale meet was neither chaired by the National Chairman nor his deputy, making it just an ordinary meeting that probably included party members with a few leaders but not a Delegates Conference prescribed under the DP constitution.

(e) The Mbale meeting was neither sanctioned nor convened by the democratic decision of NEC. In the same vein, its agenda was not drawn by the authentic officials under the direction of NEC. These are officials whose roles are clearly spelt out in the DP constitution and cannot be wished away or circumvented.

According to the DP constitution, submitted to the electoral commission and the Registrar of Companies as directed by the PPOA and the National Constitution, the leading organizers (I. Kikungwe, J. Ssebaana, Poly Mukiibi and M. Nsubuga) were not the Treasurer General, the National Chairman the organizing secretary and Secretary General of the party respectively, to organize/convene the National Delegates Conference but just impostors and impersonators. 

(f) Fake/Invalid Cards were fraudulently used and circulated alongside the NEC-sanctioned valid cards under the subversive conspiracy and sanction of Kikungwe, Poly Mukiibi and Ssebaana who were neither the Treasurer General nor the National Organizing Secretaries.

To our understanding, this had implications:

i.       It had all the hallmarks of a sinister ploy to defraud the bona-fide DPs of the sales of fake cards which went to personal accounts.

ii.   It would, and indeed it gave, the perpetrators a big bung in their mission to create parallel memberships and structures to the authentic ones in a secret bid to start a new party within DP.  Several weeks to the Mbale meet, innumerable NRM cadres had also found their way into the DP structures and list of delegates, courtesy of the joint stake in the project between the ring-leaders of the Mbale breakaway faction and State-house/intelligence officials.

Indeed the two party cards brought a lot of confusion, sparking an irreconcilable fission (spilit) in the party which the organizers of the Mbale meeting took advantage for mainly financial and other ulterior motives other than the survival of DP.

9.                Mbale was a subversive deliberate effort to create another party within the Democratic Party: i.e. with a different constitution; opposite set of core values; different leadership - disloyal to the authentic NEC; an effective way of purging the centre right ideology upon which DP was founded and replacing it in effect with a socialist one.

10.          The Mbale meet was organized by a gang of Kampala-Masaka-Jinja-Wakiso rebellious leaders/individuals of questionable characters, many of whom had a blotted record of “the terror gangsters and mafias at City House” that invoked official suspension among the NEC’s emergency counter measures (Articles 12, 79 (c) and 80 (d)) to safeguard the programs, interests, unity and the security/defense of the Party.

Even in the case of the disputed Secretary General Hon. Mathias Nsubuga, who claimed that he overturned the legal caveats against his privilege/authority to convene the NDC, he had no acclaimed permit to totally disregard the constitution and by-pass the sanction of NEC and an authentically constituted National Council.

By ignoring and circumventing all three, Mathias yet again committed “treason” against the Party. In any case, Mathias was still the subject of a Court of Appeal in which he was striving to overturn a straight forward judgment of Justice Yorokemu Bamwine which judge declared the DP National council that elected Hon. Nsubuga, “a Nullity”.

11.          Less than 12 District Branches out of 86 had constitutionally held their constituency and district delegates conferences were ready by the 18^th Feb. 2010 to send delegates to the NDC. This means that the Mbale purported NDC wasn’t a conference of delegates from the Democratic party structures, but a make shift arrangement deliberately given the name of a NDC to suit the  ulterior and sinister motives and objectives of the organizers of that event, hence sealing the fate of DP in the political landscape of Uganda.

12.          The Mbale meeting ignored, overlooked and intransigently disparaged the joint re-conciliation committee (JRC) of distinguished senior citizens and members of the party of Hon. Dr. P.K. Ssemogerere and Prof. F. Ssempebwa and others, as well as the solicited intervention of distinguished senior citizen and religious leaders (H.E Cardinal E. Wamala & Pastor Musiitwa) who did order and in the later case pleaded for a cancellation of the purported Mbale Delegates conference.  It should be remembered that the National Council that sat at Nsambya Cardinal Emmanuel Social Center (on the 28^th Jan. 2009) had unanimously supported the proposals of the JRC. This preceded the concrete signed agreement between Ex-president General John Ssebana Kizito and the party Chairman Prof. Joseph Mukiibi, witnessed by Hon. Dr. P.K Ssemogerere and Prof. F. E. Sempebwa - widely publicized over the media.

It should be remembered that the joint reconciliation committee was a culmination and merger of a 5 member committee selected by the Ssebaana-Kikungwe-Nsubuga faction led by Prof. Ssempebwa on one part and Dr, P.K.Ssemogere 5-members committee appointed by NEC on the other part. The JRC must be thanked here for leading by example; working together for the common good of the party and democracy; and taking advantage of our rich heritage of internal mechanisms to resolve our differences and unite the party. How could one then attend Mbale whose agenda was to undercut and overturn any efforts aimed at uniting the party before the Delegates Conference?

WAS MBALE DELEGATES CONFERENCE A CULMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SSEBAANA, HIS FORMER CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR AND PERSONAL HENCHMEN ABETTED BY THE NRM-O, TO INSTALL A SMALL NRM-COMPLIANT FACTION OF THE EXIXTING NEC?

There was an unrelenting effort by the Mbale group to circumvent the constitutional procedures and guidelines especially in regard to policy and leadership regeneration.

NB: For purposes of clarity of evaluation, here below is a list of members of the DP National Executive Committee, as of 18^th February 2010, part of which masterminded a pre-emptive move to unconstitutionally install an NRM-compliant leadership.

1.    President General:                       John Ssebaana Kizito. *

National Vice President:                     Reiner Kafire Juliet (Mrs)

Vice President - Central region:           Sc. J. Balikuddembe

Vice President - Northern region:         Norbert Mao (now new factional President)*

Vice President - Western region:           A. Katabazi

Vice President - Eastern region:           Al-Hajji Kezaala Baswali *

2.    Chairman:                         Prof. Joseph Mukiibi

Vice Chairman:                         Al-hajji Ali Serunjogi

3.    Secretary General:                       Vacant

Vice Secretary General:                       Dr. Lulume Bayiga

4.    Treasurer:                           Sarah Kanyike Ssebaggala *

Vice treasurer:                            John Mugisha

5.    Organising Secretary:                   Deo Njoki

Vice Organising Sec.                    John Tumusiime

6.    Publicity Secretary:                     Bakireke Nambooze

Vice Publicity Secretary:                     Fred Mwesigwa *

7.    Legal Advisor:                             Elais Lukwago Ssalongo

Vice Legal Advisor:                     Peter Ssebyuma

8.    Women Leader:                            Ekiria Christine

9.    Youth Leaders:                            Suzan Abo

S. Luyombya

Hussein Lubega.

NB: Of the NEC regional representatives whose names are not given here only 4 out of 10 went to Mbale. The above list clearly shows that out of the whole DP – NEC, only those names with a star at the end went to Mbale.

Deliberate effort by Ex-president Ssebaana and his henchmen that included two of his Vice Presidents (Mohammed Baswale Kezaala and Nobert Mao) his personal assistants and handymen ( Mathias Nsubuga, Mayanja Vincent, Kidandala, Mbidde, Kakande and others) to forestall and make NEC dysfunctional, was construed by our campaign and the general membership of the party and NEC itself, to be a calculated ploy to overturn the people’s mandate; disenfranchise members of the party; torpedo the renewed optimism and constitutional order within the Party; and to derail the much anticipated National Delegates Conference and the potential of the party to challenge state power.

A chronology of such deliberate actions, aimed at paralyzing and causing financial loss to the Party:

1)   Whereas according to the party constitution, each of the party’s top executives is voted separately into office, unlike in the case of UPC, NRM, FDC, etc … whereby only the party president is “elected” and then mandated to select and appoint other executives. Mr Ssebaana abrogated the DP constitution by appointing himself secretary general and later relinquishing it to his personal assistant Mathias Nsubuga in a fraudulently organized National Council that he (himself) illegally chaired, after propagating the exit of Mr. Ebill Otto and making the work of Dr. Lulume Bayiga (Acting Sec. General) next to impossible.

2)   In order to enforce his illegal decisions, impeached President, John Sebaana Kizito, and two of his five vice presidents (Mao and Kezaala) boycotted, undermined, circumvented and blocked DP NEC meetings for well over 3½ years up till the purported Mbale Delegates Conference, despite holding privileged positions in NEC. During this time they resorted to using illegal and unconstitutional assemblies in the names of National councils – chaired by Ssebaana, John Kawanga (not a NEC Member) or Komakech Leander (Sr.) who is also neither a NEC member nor National Council member.

3)   They ensured that Ssebaana did not handover the office of the National Treasury (since he was the Treasurer before elected President in 2005), even when party accounts had to be audited as required by law – hence didn’t care the penalties, as the party was just something used to achieve own selfish ends.

Before the last 2005 Deligates Conference at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium, Mr. John Sebaana Kizito was Natioanal Treasurer to the DP. Unfortunately, up to the date of his impeachment (17^th Feb. 2010) Mr. John Sebaana Kizito had never handed over to his successor, hence in effect undermining the office of the National Treasurer (Mrs. Sarah Kanyike and her Deputy, Mr. John M. Mugisha).

4)   They fraudulently misused Ssebaana’s signature to authenticate and cause issuance of the fake Kikungwe party cards alongside the authentic official ones, hence causing both cards to be in circulation.

Particular mention must be made here, that over a million fake cards are estimated to have been printed and sold to unsuspecting members of the party where the proceeds from the sales went to private accounts.

5)   They worked together and used Ssebaana to forestall and Undermine gender equality in numerous ways, as one of the many ways they would promote their move to the left:

1      Deliberately blocking the holding of the DP women’s Delegates Conference.

2      Deliberately isolating madam Vice President (Hon. Juliet Reiner Kafiire) and Madam Treasurer General (Hon. Cllr. Sarah Kanyike) and denying them access to their party offices.

3      Refusing to recognize Miss Susan Abbo as the elected leader of DP youth wing and her executive committee, an organ of the party under the party constitution and, taking  it upon themselves to replace her role in the party with men of socialist inclination well over 40 years of age.

6)   They worked to catapult an ideological confusion that would help to scare off our traditional funders, thus serving their selfish interest to move the party to the left and to promote the interests of their NRM-abettors.  Everyone will remember the famous Ssebaana answer to our Westminster friends (when asked about who the true DP international allies were? The center rightists or socialists? And he answered “you can eat with both hands” to the disappointment and eventual withdrawal of funding to support party activities by all our former allies including Christian Democrats who disowned DP under Ssebaana).

One starts to wonder whether a similar legacy left in the DP National Treasury 10 years ago; the legendary Teefe Bank; the Bika Bya Buganda Football Association; the Muteesa I Royal University; and Kampala City Council could be explained by similar circumstances than the ones that to-date explain a very successful SWICO that insures the Presidential Jet and State House!

MBALE WAS AN IRREVOCABLE AND TREASONABLE BREACH OF THE DP CONSTITUTION AS SUBMITTED TO THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF UGANDA:

1.    Just as the 1^st August 2008 National Council meeting was ruled in the Honorable High Court on the 26^th Oct. 2009 (misc Cause No. 217 of 2008) as illegal and the consequent party activities built on its outcome declared null and void, the 18^th July 2009 and 29^th Dec. 2009 were equally convened, chaired, constituted and conducted in contravention of articles 33(e), 16, 18 (d) & (h), 25 and 26 of the DP constitution, henceforth; a legal and administrative nullity.

For that reason therefore:

(a)  The purported appointing of the Kikungwe finance committee; the Dab Opinya – Polly Mukiibi/Mwebe IEC; and the Sebuliba Mutumba-Damiano Lubega’s Organizing committee acted in contravention of Article 18(d) & (h) of the Party’s constitution and did not have the authority of NEC. Thanks to Dr. Kasozi, Twalla Kadalla, Damiano Lubega and others who consequently heed NEC’s advice not to be party to the gross fraud widely petitioned regarding the business of these respective committees and the unprecedented level of illegality and unconstitutionality they would in the process portray to the party and the public at large.

(b)  The unconstitutional printing, issuance, sale and distribution of fake membership cards and illicit soliciting of funds without following the constitutionally laid down procedures and without the mandate of NEC, which is the Directorate of the Party, did not only contravene Articles 18(f), 31(f), 33(e), 59, 60(b), 62 and 63 of the DP constitution, but spelt the following unfortunate consequences:

- Would greatly affect the party never like it before; now that even non-members and members of the NRM-O and other rival parties would acquire them and find way to the Delegates Conference(s). Particular reference will be made to the fake delegates and gangster brigades ferried and caused to attend the purported delegates’ conference in Mbale.

- Would be a bad precedent used by a rebellious faction in the purported Mbale NDC to split the party in total disregard of the party constitution and dismantling all positive efforts/counsel expedited through the internal mechanisms and efforts by the elders and senior citizens mentioned elsewhere here-in.

2.    The purported National Councils held on the 29^th Nov. 2009, 18^th Jul. 2009 and 10^th Feb. 2010 were:

(c) Convened without the authority of NEC (mandated to sanction and prepare the agenda for the convening of National Council),

(d)  A misrepresentation of what should constitute a National council (i.e. with impersonating; chairmen – Ssebuliba-Mutumba, John Kawanga and Komakechi Leander (Snr) - and  members),

(e) A violation of Articles 14, 15, 16, 25 and 26 of the DP constitution and the democratic resolutions taken in the constitutionally held National Council of the 28^th Jan. 2010.

3.    The decisions, processes and all arrangements to organize the purported Mbale NDC were not only a usurpation of the powers of the National Chairmen, Organizing secretaries and National Treasurers, NEC and the Party in general, but also:

(f) A violation of Articles 12, 33(a)&(e), 34, 18(d) & (h), 25, 26,  of the DP constitution and the democratic resolutions of NEC taken in its sittings on the 2^nd Nov. 09 & 17^th Feb. 10,

(g) A complete misrepresentation of what should constitute a National Delegates Conference (i.e. chaired by with an impersonating chairman - John Kawanga - and by-and-large constituted by handpicked delegates even from the NRM-O and other parties).

4.    The deliberate refusal to heed internal efforts and mechanisms to resolve internal differences and rebelling against all relevant counsel and authority not to organize a factional “Delegates Conference” in Mbale without NEC resolution, was bound to:

(a)  Split the party beyond repair;

(b)  Compromise our core party values and ideological foundation – as the ensuing factional leadership would resort to work in total disregard of the party constitution, “rule of law” and in absolute disrespect of the DP motto of “Truth and Justice”;

(c) Automatically make the emergent factional leadership lose the moral authority to stave off any future such factional coups and abrogation the party/national constitution(s), let alone disable it to condition a smooth transition/handover.

5.    Participating in such a sham delegates conference and giving credence to such rigged elections and abrogation of the DP constitution, would give an unprecedented momentum to entrenching unconstitutionalism, disrespect to the rule of law and bad governance that were an exclusive practice of Obote’s UPC and its daughter regimes as well as graft parties like the NRM. If allowed, this shall permanently erode DP’s moral high ground hither-to enjoyed, as well compounding its control to statehouse, since Museveni and our other opponents as well as any smart democrats, can only use the excuse of a broken DP constitution and a rigged primaries to eliminate our candidates; penalize the party out of as many election seasons as they may please; and forestall the hopes of the Party and democrats for good.

      WHAT NEXT NOW THAT MBALE LOGJAM IS OUT?

To me, and to the members of my campaign-team and certainly, to the majority of the well informed DP members country-wide, the purported Mbale –DP-Delegates conference was fraudulent, unconstitutional and to say the least bogus”. It was actually a ploy to pre-empt or to block the process of holding the constitutionally authentic National DP Delegates’ Conference.

We commend the Chaiman Mukiibi, Haji Sserunjogi and President Reiner Kafire NEC for standing firm, being decisive and unwaivering in protecting the Party constitution; sticking with DP core values; and giving direction to organize a legally authentic Delegates Conference immediately after disposing off the now slated cases in High Court on 25th - 29th May, 2010.

Let us have true delegates’ conferences to chat a way forward for DP; debate local and national issues, principles and values of the party; and, forward adopted resolutions to the National Executive Committee through the National Organizing Secretary to enable his office build up a worthwhile agenda for the NDC; made up by members’ submissions, for members’ aspiration and debated on behalf of members for the democratic aspirations of the party’s delegates’ Conference at Namboole Stadium in the not too distant future. Team –work is the answer! Build the team!  Winning is for all of us – as we work “for the Change Ugandans will trust”!

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTY

SAMUEL WALTER LUBEGA

PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT DP 2011