The Democratic Party’s (DP) internal elections have hit a major setback after the party’s youth wing, Uganda Young Democrats (UYD), demanded a halt to all National Delegates Conference (NDC) preparations, citing widespread irregularities and lack of transparency in the electoral process.
In a complaint addressed to the DP Secretary General, Julius Dumba, UYD Chairperson for Kampala District and a presidential aspirant for the party’s top seat, accused the current party leadership of orchestrating an unconstitutional and exclusionary process that undermines democratic values.
“We cannot legitimize a process that is fundamentally flawed, marred by exorbitant and unapproved fees, conflict of interest, and rushed, opaque procedures,” Dumba stated in the letter, dated May 9, 2025. “It is a betrayal of the Democratic Party’s values of justice, unity, and inclusivity.”
At the center of the controversy is the abrupt increase in nomination fees for National Executive Committee (NEC) positions.
According to Dumba, the fee for the President General position was hiked from UGX 5 million to UGX 10 million without NEC approval, a direct violation of Article 9.3 of the DP Constitution (2018).
“This fee hike was done unilaterally and disproportionately locks out youth, women, and grassroots members from leadership,” Dumba said.
“It’s unacceptable that a party with no salary or facilitation for these roles is demanding such fees from volunteers,” he added.
Dumba further raised alarms about a clear conflict of interest, pointing out that the current Secretary General is both an aspirant and the overseer of the electoral process including the structuring of elections and preparations for the NDC.
“One cannot be a referee and a player at the same time,” Dumba emphasized. “The integrity of the election process cannot be guaranteed under such conditions.”
The UYD is now demanding the immediate suspension of all electoral activities until an independent audit of the process is conducted.
Among the eight-point demands is the dissolution of the current Election Committee, which Dumba claims was appointed without NEC consultation and is therefore unconstitutional.
Other demands include the reversal of unapproved fee hikes, provision of gazetted constitutional amendments from the Gulu NDC, establishment of a single transparent payment system for nomination fees, a public apology from party leadership, and the convening of an emergency National Council meeting within seven days.
“This is not just about my candidacy,” Dumba noted. “It’s about the future of the Democratic Party. If we do not act now, we risk alienating the youth and losing our moral authority as Uganda’s oldest opposition party.”
The youth-led protest against the internal elections adds to mounting pressure on the DP leadership, already facing criticism over internal wrangles and alleged manipulation of party structures ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Dumba’s campaign manifesto, titled “Reclaim, Rebuild, Renew,” advocates for youth empowerment and institutional reform within the party.
His decision to withdraw from the nomination process, he says, was grounded in principle.
“I could not, in good conscience, participate in a process that betrays the very foundation of what DP stands for,” he said.
The letter comes a time when Democratic Party recently commenced its internal elections as part of efforts to elect new leadership ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Norbert Mao, along with two other candidates, was nominated for the position of party president in preparation for the National Delegates Conference set for May 30 in Mbarara.
However, some aspiring candidates were reportedly denied nomination over claims of failing to meet the required credentials.
