Chaos Erupts at DP Headquarters Ahead of Delegates’ Conference

Tempers flared at the Democratic Party (DP) headquarters in Kampala on Tuesday afternoon, as chaotic scenes erupted ahead of a scheduled press conference by party president general Norbert Mao.

Party members forced their way into the premises, disrupting preparations for the event and prompting heavy police deployment.

The unrest comes just days before the party’s delegates’ conference, which is slated for Friday this week.

Supporters of Masaka Municipality MP Richard Ssebamala, who is vying for the party’s top seat, clashed with those loyal to Mao, accusing the incumbent leadership of planning to exclude rival factions from the upcoming elections.

At the centre of the tension are allegations that some delegates have been “ferried” to meet General Salim Saleh in a move critics say is intended to manipulate the party’s internal processes.

The accusations have further deepened suspicion within the party’s already divided ranks.

“This is no longer a democratic process,” one supporter shouted, as others demanded transparency in the list of delegates cleared to vote on Friday. Several party members engaged in physical scuffles before police officers arrived to restore order.

“We are being sidelined by Mao’s camp,” claimed a supporter of Ssebamala.

“They want to lock us out of the process so they can maintain control and impose decisions without scrutiny.”

The police intervened to prevent further violence and maintained a presence at the party offices late into the afternoon. Officers did not immediately comment on whether arrests had been made.

The Democratic Party, Uganda’s oldest political formation, has been rocked by internal disputes in recent years, particularly following Mao’s cooperation agreement with President Museveni in 2022—a move that angered several opposition-leaning members who accused him of betraying the party’s ideals.

Friday’s delegates’ conference is expected to determine the party’s leadership and future direction.

But with tensions now boiling over, it remains uncertain whether the event will proceed smoothly.

Efforts to get a comment from Norbert Mao or the party’s official spokesperson were unsuccessful by press time.