By Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press – Uganda. On Wednesday 20 July 2022, the opposition Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao met with the ruling National Resistance Movement party (NRM) national chairman President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni and signed a working cooperation agreement.
Attendants
The cooperation agreement took place at State House in Entebbe. Among the people who attended include the Secretary General of the two political parties, Richard Todwong for NRM and Gerald Siranda for DP. Also, the two parties’ lawyers were not left behind.
Cooperating for a Job?
On 21st July 2022, one day after DP Mao signed an agreement with President Museveni, he was appointed by President Museveni as the new Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. The parliamentary vetting committee vetted him on Friday and he was approved. Mao’s appointment and acceptance shocked many Ugandans due to the fact that he has been so critical of the ruling government and many could not believe that he will be serving under the same government he has been criticizing for years. In one of the videos circulating on social media platforms, Mao on March 6, 2022, said he can never be bought with money and that he can never join a government and live his party behind.
Who is Mao?
Mao was born 55 years ago in Uganda, a political activist, and lawyer. He became DP president in 2010, and he has stood for the presidency three times. After attending his Primary Level School in Jinja, he joined sever schools for his Secondary Levels before joining Makerere University between 1988 and 1991, graduating with a law degree. Between 1990 and 1991, he served as the president of Makerere University Students Guild. In 1992, he obtained a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in Uganda.
MP- In 1996, Mao was elected as a member of parliament representing Gulu municipality. While in parliament he was appointed to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and Public Accounts Committee. He resigned from Parliament in 2006 and was elected chairman of the Gulu District.
Inside the controversial cooperation agreement
Sharing of power- In the 42-clause agreement, DP and NRM parties agreed to share political power but also to foster constitutionalism and respect for human rights. According to the agreement, DP agreed to cooperate with the ruling party in supporting the overall governance agenda and supporting parliamentary votes on matters of confidence and supply for the full term (2021-2020) of this parliament. DP has got only 9 members of parliament out of 529 MPs of whom 300 belong to NRM.
Position– The two parties agreed on Mao being appointed as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in a position that has been vacant for over a year. The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will be the lead for coordinating the national dialogue and the whole government’s response to constitutional reforms within the mandate to coordinate budget proposals in the Justice Law and Order Sector.
Conditions– The ministerial portfolios and other public sector appointments offered to the DP shall reflect areas where DP expertise provides a valuable contribution to the NRM government. DP ministers are bound by the cabinet rules in the exercise of their responsibilities and particular, agreed to be bound by the provisions on conducting public duty and personal interests.
Voting in Parliament– According to the agreement, the DP undertakes to keep full voting members present whenever the House is sitting where the DP has committed to supporting the NRM government and on matters of confidence and supply. The DP also undertakes to keep full voting members in the committee, unless otherwise agreed.
Election support– The party NRM agreed to support the election of the DP candidate to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The PD Secretary General Siranda also Mao’s ally was nominated as the party candidate in the election that will be held later this year. DP Mao also proposed four individuals for appointment to departments, statutory bodies, and government agencies, the portfolio of which shall be discussed and agreed upon in advance by both parties.
Meetings- According to the agreement DP president Mao will be meeting with President Museveni every three months or as required to monitor progress against the areas of cooperation that are set out in the agreement.
Cracks in DP
Members of the DP bloc to which Map belongs excommunicated him after signing the cooperation working agreement with the ruling party NRM. DP bloc said they were not consulted by their leader Mao before signing the agreement with President Museveni. They vowed to impose several sanctions against Mao and his group that appended signature to the deal with NRM.
DP background
DP is one of the oldest parties in Uganda. The party was formed in the Buganda region before Uganda’s independence. It was formed out of religious and economic demographics that began to mold politics in Buganda. Buganda is the largest region in Uganda and has influenced the country’s politics since the country was colonized by the British colonial power.
Religion influence– Buganda had their traditional religion, but when three key religious forces the Roman Catholics, the Church of England (Protestant Christians), and Islam, came to Uganda and they started battling to spread their religions in the biggest region of Buganda. In the 1950s, the Protestants had achieved the most influence over the King of Buganda (Kabaka).
The birth of DP– After the independence majority in Buganda autonomy with the King of Buganda (Kabaka) as the symbol of Buganda self-determination. Whereas most other Ugandans preferred a unitary modern state unhindered by traditional royalty. This aspiration was shared by some of the Buganda elite, particularly the Catholics, and then they formed the basis of what was to become the DP. Members of DP were deemed disloyal to the kingdom, and the King decided to form an alternative more popular party In Buganda called Kabaka Yekka (‘The King only’). The DP realized that they had no chance of winning support in Buganda, and they sought support from southern Uganda. DP was born and effectively became Uganda’s first national political party.
“I am still DP President” Mao
Even though mao will be serving under Museveni’s party NRM as a minister, he vowed never to resign from his position as the DP president. According to Mao, the constitution of DP and the cooperation agreement are not mutually exclusive. He explained that he signed the agreement as the DP president, and he will continue discharging his duties as the president of DP. It is not clear how Mao will be able to separate DP duties and NRM duties because according to the agreement ministers from DP will be speaking for the government, representing the government’s position, in relation to their responsibilities.
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