By Joan Ahumuza
Kampala: Popular musician cum politician Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chameleone, who was unveiled as the Democratic Party (DP) National Mobilizer and Kampala Lord mayor contestant, is snubbing DP functions and press conferences, which has left many of his supporters and fans worried.
Our Spy who attends DP press conferences reveals that ever since Chameleone was unveiled as mobiliser, he never appears at DP press conferences or other functions organised by the Party.
During this week’s press briefing, President General Norbert Mao announced that starting with January 2020, DP has organized a national delegates’ conference. He said Party stalwarts have so far visited all districts in greater Masaka and other areascto meet DP leaders there.
Mao said they want to elect leaders and delegates, including members of the National Executive Committee, Members of the Parlimentary Group, five delegates from every district branch including chairpersons, youth leaders, deputy youth leaders and women leaders, deputy women leaders, plus five members from every constituency elected by constituency delegates conference.
Mao said that “The National Delegates Committee decided that two delegates from each onstituency must be women since DP leadership structure has less women compared to men. DP started its outreach from Kalangala lsland and Sembabule where we lacked candidates. After that we went to Kyotera, Rakai, Greater Masaka region and ended in Mpigi including Butambala and Gomba.”
Mao also used the presser to invite more legislators to subscribe to DP, saying it is now the leading united opposition party. “We are now aiming at fighting for change. As opposition we are checking errors which happened in Hoima to ensure they do not happen again to make us lose votes.” Mao noted.
However, it should be noted that it’s not only Chameleone who snubs DP pressers, since other stalwarts like Mukasa Mbidde, Muwanga Kivumbi, Kenneth Paul Kakande, Mathias Mpuuga and others also never show up.
While commenting about a recent statement from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) that voters will use their National Identity Cards while voting Mao said that;
“The Electoral Commission should serve its role but not allow NIRA over its mandate, because these are separate bodies. Combining the two can n even lead to a poor electoral process since NIRA registers Ugandans from 16 years of age, while the EC considers eligible voters to start from 18 years and above.
He however concluded by saying that elections in Uganda can change nothing because those in power have always rejected the outcomes and ended up rigging votes.
