The Democratic Party (DP) President General -Nobert Mao has lashed out at political leaders inclined to People Power leader Hon. Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine, for moving to circumvent party protocol, and pursuing personal political fortunes without caring about the impact of their actions on the party.
Mao says influential leaders in the DP are rushing into a coalition with Bobi Wine for their selfish short-term interests, instead of caring for the interests of DP. He says the leaders have failed to understand that the best coalition should be negotiated based on principle, not on individual interests.
Mao’s tirade is part of the statement he released on Monday during a weekly briefing at Party Headquarters in Kampala. Mao said DP makes its decisions through its national organs taking into account the current situation and its best long term interests.
“They have individually hitched their wagons to the presidential ambitions of leaders outside their party in hope that it will improve their personal political fortunes. They don’t care whatsoever about the impact of their actions on the party” part of Mao’s statement reads.
Mao says any opposition entity that wants to work with DP, has to respect the interests of DP. He however says, the leadership of DP believes in unity of the opposition and that’s why they published a framework document emphasizing a joint opposition candidate against the NRM at all levels.
He also scoffed at political entities behind the blackmail and smear campaign against the DP, saying their strategy will not work.
Mao advised them to decide between Bobi Wine, and the bigger cause of the Democratic Party. He recited a poem by James Russell Lowell which he said is a clear exposition of the moment of truth that faces the DP and Uganda:
“Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide;
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or the evil side;
Some great cause, God’s new Messiah, offering each the bloom or blight,
Parts the goats upon the left hand and the sheep on the right, And the choice goes by forever ‘twixt that darkness and that light.”