DP demands over sh1b in subversive leaders’ court cases
These expenses do not only originate from the recent Mbarara delegates conference petition, but also other seven different court rulings from different judges who ruled that the petitioners who lost against DP party should pay all the legal costs incurred during court representations.
The DP party secretary general, Gerald Siranda, and DP members addressing the press on Tuesday, September 08, at Balintuma Road. (Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba)
By Isaac Nuwagaba
Journalists @New Vision
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The Democratic Party (DP) says it is demanding compensation exceeding shillings one billion in costs associated with the dismissal of a court petition filed by fugitive party leaders.
The applicants who alleged irregularities and procedural flaws in the party’s delegates conference convened at Asamar Resort Gardens in Ruti Mbarara on May 31, 2025, filed a judicial review to address legal issues surrounding the election of party leaders for the period 2025–2031.
The petition, which was thrown out by the High Court sitting in Mbarara on Monday, September 8, this year, challenged the legitimacy of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Norbert Mao's leadership and other 54 leaders within the party.
Following the court's decision, DP has demanded reimbursement for costs incurred during the legal proceedings.
The costs question
Speaking at DP Headquarters at Balintuma Road in Rubaga division on Tuesday, September 9, the party claimed that the petition was frivolous and intended to destabilise the party's leadership, resulting in unnecessary legal expenses.
“We demand in excess of shillings one billion given the financial burden that was imposed on the party by the petitioners since the chaos started way back after 2021 elections when we joined the co-operation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government,” DP party secretary general Gerald Siranda said.
These expenses do not only originate from the recent Mbarara delegates conference petition, but also other seven different court rulings from different judges who ruled that the petitioners who lost against DP party should pay all the legal costs incurred during court representations.
“I was in Albania recently when I was called by our legal team to come back and sign on the jurats as a legal requirement to allow party lawyers to represent DP in court, all at exorbitant costs,” Siranda said.
“The party has been spending a lot of money on baseless issues, which would have been ably handled by our internal disciplinary functionalities as provided by the DP party constitution, but our members have been undermining our authority to take internal party matters in court,” he claimed.
In a ruling that was delivered by Mbarara High Court Judge justice Allan Paul Nshimye on objection number 3, he said the applicants did not exploit existing internal remedies available within the political party structure before filing the application for judicial review.
“A court’s inherent jurisdiction should not be invoked where there is a specific statutory provision which would meet the necessity of the case. The rationale is that such is the only way institutions and their structures will be respected and strengthened,” he ruled.
To us, this is the eighth time we have been awarded these court costs due to the financial implications we suffer, the time we lose and the party reputation tainted at the hands of errant members.
“The court has continued to show that aggrieved DP petitioners had nothing concrete apart from hatred, malice and sabotage as if the party belongs to Mao and his family,” Siranda observed.
The petitioners
The petitioners who included Edith Byanyima, the daughter to our founder member Boniface Byanyima, was never a DP member, had never campaigned for any DP candidate or even declared to be the flagbearer at any level, Siranda insisted.
Bukoto Central Member of Parliament, Richard Sebamala who was kicked out of the race as DP president general to replace Mao threatens to appeal.
Court has allowed multiparty dispensation to function.
“This ruling is going to be a lesson to some future DP leaders and other opposition members in different political parties who have taken it as a habit and pleasure to run to court on non-existent issues to attain public sympathy,” Siranda emphasised.
And if the party goes for Buikwe South MP Dr Micheal Bayigga Lulume, he might even fail to raise campaign money to run for the 2026 General Election because we want him to pay us in excess of shillings 200 million in the lost petition filed against us by Benedicto Kiwanuka Galiko and Dr. Lulume, the DP official threatened.
“Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality mayor Eng. Godfrey Ssemwanga Kabuzi and 21 others who lost their case against DP were ordered to pay us in excess of shillings 200 million, but we had never run after them to pay us. This is the time because we want to pay nomination fees and campaign costs for our flag bearers,” he bragged.
The court, presided over by Nshimye, ruled in Mao’s favour, declaring the petition lacked merit and dismissing it.
Nshimye ordered the applicants to pay all costs to the respondents, including the DP electoral Management Committee chairperson Kennedy Mutenyo, DP national organising secretary Herbert Rutagwera, DP national chairman Dr. Mayambala Kiwanuka Ssempala, and the Electoral Commission.
Petitioners, including DP members Edith Byanyima, Julius Ddumba, and Henry Lameck Kasozi, alleged that the delegates conference was a sham, leaving influential DP leaders ousted from elective positions.
Among those affected were Bukoto Central MP Eng Richard Sebamala and Buikwe South MP Dr Micheal Bayigga Lulume, who subsequently joined the newly formed Peoples’ Front for Freedom (PFF) and Mityana South MP Richard Lumu, still on DP ticket.
Byanyima, the daughter of former DP chairperson Boniface Byanyima, disputed the manner in which delegates were identified, arguing that no elections were held in her area to confirm Mao’s election for a fourth term.
Sebamala to appeal
However, when Sebamala was contacted on the matter, he said they did not agree with the ruling and that they were considering appealing the decision to iron out DP issues once and for all.
"We tried all those internal mechanisms the court highlighted before, but Mao's leadership used the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers in our elections in Mbarara, which is a violation of democratic principles and rule of law in our country," he said.
If DP elections in Mbarara were an internal matter, why did the government help Mao with all the Police and UPDF soldiers to overtake the exercise? Sebamala asked.