By Penny Atukunda
Africa-Press – Uganda. After 30 years of loyal service, Michael Lulume Bayigga has made the difficult but purposeful decision to leave the Democratic Party (DP). To many, it signals the end of an era but for him, it is a necessary step in continuing the fight for justice, democracy, and people-centred leadership in Uganda.
You may know him as a respected physician, Member of Parliament for Buikwe South Constituency, and Director of Kampala International Medical Centre in Kansanga. From 2007 to 2010, he also served as Acting Secretary General of the DP. But over time, what he once believed in has changed, leaving him no choice but to walk away.
Recalling the recent DP Delegates Conference, he said, “That delegates’ conference looked more like a military operation than a political gathering. It felt more like an army council than a democratic process.”
This moment marked a turning point. He no longer recognised the party he had once helped to build.
Still, his departure was not without emotion.
“It’s a painful decision, but also a pleasant one. On this side, I’ve been welcomed as a fighter,” he said, referring to his new home, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF). Here, he feels free to speak his truth and serve the people without fear.
Lulume also reflected on the political alliance between DP President Norbert Mao and President Museveni.
“What Mao needed and what the President wanted eventually aligned. That’s how their interests met,” he explained. He believes that deal marked the final shift away from DP’s founding values.
Despite all this, he remains focused on the future.
“Uganda deserves a peaceful transition of power,” he stated firmly. For him, real change must be peaceful, well-organised, and driven by the people not by backroom deals or military pressure.
And in a direct message to the current leadership, he added: “We see President Museveni, and we are equally prepared. His frequent visits to the people show he knows he is not entirely secure among them.”
He then ended with a powerful message aimed at DP and Mao: “Let him keep the party—for now. We’ll see how far he gets when it all crumbles.”
That warning was not for the government, it was for those who, in his view, hijacked the party and traded its values for power.
For Lulume, leaving DP is not giving up. It is standing up. His commitment to the people remains strong and his voice, even stronger.
Source: Nilepost News
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
