A planned leadership transition in Uganda’s Democratic Party (DP) descended into turmoil early Sunday morning, after a dramatic last-minute exclusion of presidential aspirant Richard Ssebamala triggered confusion, anger, and a postponement of the vote.
The chaotic scenes unfolded at around 3 a.m. during a tense delegates meeting at Asamar Country Hotel, when the National Chairman, Dr. Kiwanuka Ssempala, read out the list of candidates for the party’s top seat—naming Dr. Lulume Bayiga, Alitia Elia, and outgoing President General Nobert Mao. To the shock of many, Richard Ssebamala’s name was missing, despite days of active participation in the campaign and an earlier introduction by former DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda as a valid candidate.
The announcement sparked uproar from delegates, some of whom accused Mao’s faction of manipulating the process. “Mao and his executive have removed Ssebamala from the ballot. We will not vote until he is reinstated,” shouted a delegate, as security forces and party-affiliated guards known as “BAU Security” moved in to contain the unrest.
In a bid to regain control of the situation, Mbarara City South DPC Kellen Namara took the microphone, urging calm. “You have the right to keep quiet and move on. Let us accept the decision and move forward,” she said, though her appeal did little to pacify the crowd.
Ssebamala, visibly agitated, vowed to halt the election entirely. “When I’m not on the ballot, there is no voting—simple,” he told reporters. “Let them tell us why my name is missing. The NEC is dissolved anyway.”
Amid the escalating tension, NEC was indeed dissolved, and Kennedy Mutenyo was nominated to preside over the election—a move that sparked even more dissent. Amid loud chants of disapproval, Mutenyo was forced to adjourn the voting until 8 a.m.
By daybreak, the voting process had still not commenced, deepening uncertainty over the future leadership of one of Uganda’s oldest political parties. Efforts to obtain comment from party officials involved in the controversial ballot change were unsuccessful, as most vacated the venue without addressing the press.
