Tensions flared at the Democratic Party (DP) headquarters on Balintuma Road, Kampala, as party members clashed over alleged tampering with the delegates list for the upcoming national conference scheduled for May 30, 2025, in Mbarara.

Supporters of Bukoto Central MP Richard Sebamala, who is challenging Justice Minister Norbert Mao for the party presidency, accused the current leadership of deliberately removing their names from the list of delegates without consent.

“All members were supposed to receive their invitation cards today, but the party administration is playing games to intentionally exclude some delegates,” said Daniel Mivule, the party’s organizing secretary from Nansana Municipality.

The unrest underscores the growing rift within the DP, primarily stemming from Mao’s 2022 cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which led to his appointment as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Critics within the party argue that this alliance has compromised DP’s opposition stance.

In response to mounting internal pressure, Mao recently assured party delegates that the cooperation agreement remains under the control of the National Council and can be reviewed or terminated if deemed not in the party’s interest.

“DP is not for sale, and I cannot sell it,” he stated during a National Council meeting in Soroti City.

However, the situation escalated when six DP MPs, including Sebamala, filed a petition in the Constitutional Court challenging the legality of the cooperation agreement.

They claim that Mao signed the pact without consulting party structures, thereby undermining democratic governance.