Opposition Democratic Party president Norbert Mao has met with ruling National Resistance Movement party (NRM) national chairman President Yoweri Museveni and inked a deal to work together.
According to president Museveni, the duo met for a meeting at State House in Entebbe on Wednesday morning.
The meeting was also attended by the Secretary Generals of the two political parties, Richard Todwong for NRM and Gerald Siranda for DP.
I met with Democratic Party President Norbert Mao at State House Entebbe. We signed a cooperation agreement between the NRM and the DP. I salute the DP leadership for this gesture of mature, foresighted and constructive politics. pic.twitter.com/sPHDMjDeZq
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) July 20, 2022
Also present for the meeting were lawyers for both parties.
However, the details of the meeting are still scanty.
This meeting follows aged reports that the DP has been indirectly dissolved into the NRM party. President Museveni has also publicly praised Mao’s party,dissing members that ditched his party.
Background
In the past, DP has been said by many to be in the bed with the ruling NRM party.
For example in the run to previous elections, several DP top leaders left the party to join the National Unity Platform as many claimed the DP president Nobert Mao was in bed with President Museveni and his NRM party.
This also saw words like the “Good DP” and the “Bad DP” coined.
This stemmed from President Museveni’s comments in regards to some opposition party leaders whom he said are “good DP” and this meant that these accepted to work with his NRM ruling party and government at large but blasted the other “bad DP” members whom he accused of being hostile to government.
Speaking at a function a few years ago, Mao said he would rather work with NRM than the “hypocritical” opposition.
Mao said he was working with the NRM to actualise DP’s objective of taking power.
He expressed frustration with the opposition alliances which in his view have worked against DP.
“FDC and NUP have been telling us that we are the same but they have chopped all our leaders allover so why pretend anymore,” Mao said.
Mao revealed terms under which DP could unite with the opposition.
“If NUP and other parties are serious they should come to the round table and we agree on the goal. Then we shall next agree on what role each of us is playing. That is how DP got into trouble in 1986 without agreeing,” Mao said.
In March this year, First Son also UPDF Land Forces Commander, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba heaped praise on t Mao for being the best opposition leader in Uganda.
In a tweet, Gen Muhoozi said, “My big brother @norbertmao is the most brilliant opposition leader in Uganda today. He has Presidential skills.”
