Democratic Party official declares Mao-Museveni cooperation agreement ‘dead’ after expiry
The cooperation agreement between Mao and Museveni triggered divisions within the Democratic Party after Mao later joined government as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Critics within the party accused him of aligning DP with the ruling establishment without proper consultation.
A senior official in the Democratic Party has declared the controversial cooperation agreement between party president Norbert Mao and President Yoweri Museveni officially expired, describing it as a personal arrangement that never represented the position of the party.
In a strongly worded statement released on May 11, 2026, Julius Dumba said the 42-clause agreement signed at State House Entebbe on July 20, 2022, had “run its course” and could no longer be used to justify cooperation between the Democratic Party and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
“Today, 11th May 2026, marks the official expiry of the 42-clause agreement you signed with Hon. Norbert Mao,” Dumba stated. “That pact was never subjected to any DP organ, never ratified by the National Executive Committee, never presented to the National Council, and never endorsed by the delegates of the Democratic Party.”
Dumba argued that many DP members had consistently rejected the cooperation arrangement, insisting it was a deal between individuals rather than a formal party-to-party agreement.
“The agreement is dead,” he said. “It can no longer be invoked to justify any action, attendance at NRM retreats, or claim of cooperation on behalf of the DP.”
The statement also launched a direct attack on Mao, accusing him of abandoning the party’s principles in pursuit of personal political survival.
“The time for pretence is over,” Dumba said. “If your heart now lies with the NRM ‘eating club,’ then have the courage and integrity to resign from the leadership of the Democratic Party and formally cross the floor.”
He further claimed that promises allegedly made to DP supporters under the cooperation arrangement, including government jobs, committee positions and political dialogue, had largely not materialized.
The cooperation agreement between Mao and Museveni triggered divisions within the Democratic Party after Mao later joined government as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Critics within the party accused him of aligning DP with the ruling establishment without proper consultation.
In his latest statement, Dumba called on party supporters to intensify efforts to “reclaim, rebuild and restore” the Democratic Party, saying the expiry of the agreement marked “the beginning of the real revival of DP.”
He urged members to reorganize party structures across the country and prepare for what he described as a genuine delegates conference that reflects the will of ordinary members.
“To the people of Uganda, the Democratic Party, especially those that have the true ideals of DP, remains your reliable alternative,” he said. “We are not in politics to share power with the ruling party at the expense of our principles.”
Neither Mao nor the NRM had responded to the statement by press time.
