DP Faces Internal Crisis as Dumba Exposes Alleged Electoral Malpractices

Tensions within Uganda’s oldest political party, the Democratic Party (DP), have escalated as Julius Dumba, the current Uganda Youth Democratic (UYD) Chair for Kampala District and an aspiring candidate for the position of President General, has raised grave concerns over the transparency and fairness of the party’s internal electoral processes.

In a letter addressed to Gerald Siranda, the DP Secretary General, Dumba has outlined a series of serious allegations, accusing the party leadership of mishandling critical election procedures and violating party rules.

Dumba described his letter as being written with a “burning sense of duty” in the wake of a controversial press conference by Siranda earlier this week.

Dumba’s criticisms focus on several key issues, including what he calls a “blatant unfairness” surrounding the nomination fees, which have been raised from the previously approved amount of 5 million shillings to 10 million.

He questions the legality of this hike, noting that it was implemented without the approval of the full National Executive Committee (NEC), which is required to sanction such changes.

Additionally, Dumba alleges a lack of transparency in the election oversight process.

He has challenged the legitimacy of the Election Committee, claiming it was appointed unilaterally by Dr. Siranda.

Dumba argues that the committee’s composition is biased, especially since some members are also candidates for leadership positions.

He has called for an independent Election Committee, vetted and approved by NEC, to oversee the party’s elections.

Another major point of contention involves the delegates for the upcoming National Delegates Conference (NDC).

According to Dumba,Siranda claimed that 80% of the delegates had already been listed.

However, Dumba insists that this claim is far from accurate, highlighting that many districts, including Kampala, are still struggling to organize lower-level elections, leaving grassroots members underrepresented.

Dumba also raised concerns about the party’s financial transparency, particularly regarding the mishandling of nomination fee payments.

He criticised the confusion surrounding payment channels including bank drafts, deposits, and physical cash arguing that this opens the door to potential corruption.

Furthermore, he questioned the absence of a single, transparent bank account for fee collection, which he believes would help ensure accountability.

In addition to these concerns, Dumba demanded evidence that the amendments made during the Gulu NDC had been properly gazetted by the Electoral Commission, a legal requirement for such changes to be officially recognised.

He challenged the party leadership to provide this proof, asserting that without it, the legitimacy of the NDC itself could be at risk.

Perhaps most controversially, Dumba accused Dr. Siranda and other party leaders of undermining DP’s constitutional integrity by rushing the submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI) forms.

He argued that the one-week deadline for submission unfairly disadvantages candidates who are actively mobilizing support across the country.

In his letter, Dumba outlined several demands aimed at restoring transparency and fairness within the party.

Among his requests are an immediate audit of the election process, a suspension of all NDC preparations until clear and transparent guidelines are established, and a public apology from Dr. Siranda for allegedly overstepping his authority.

Dumba also called for the resignation of any candidates involved in election preparations who may have conflicts of interest.

The letter concludes with a call for unity and a return to the core democratic values of the party.

“The Democratic Party is not a playground for untouchable elites,” Dumba declared. “It is the heartbeat of millions of Ugandans yearning for justice.”

The Democratic Party is not a playground for untouchable elites,” Dumba declared. “It is the heartbeat of millions of Ugandans yearning for justice