As days go by, Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao may realise that the Presidential seat he was bequeathed while in Mbale recently, is hotter rather than sweater.

On Tuesday February 23, the former President General of the Democratic Party John Sebaana Kizito, now expelled from the party for "gross indiscipline", led a new team of the allegedly newly elected National Executive including Mao and Mathias Nsubuga, to the Electoral Commission to have it recognised.

However, reliable sources reveal to The Sunrise that Sebaana and company were chased away after the EC officials demanded that it should be the party old chairman (in this case Prof. Joseph Mukiibi) who should have presented to new team. The Sunrise has further learnt that EC officials, fearing the legal and financial implications they would face, threw out Sebaana's team.
 
As if that is not bad enough, the Democratic Party is fielding perhaps the strongest legal team Mao has ever faced to battle his alleged fraudulent ascendancy to the presidency of the party.

Prof. John Ssempebwa, one of the most senior lawyers in the country and former chairman of the acclaimed Constitutional Review Commission is leading DP's legal team which hopes to file a case aimed at bringing Mao and his 'rebel  group' down .

According to Samuel Lubega, who remains the favourite to ascend to DP's Presidency, Ssempebwa will be joined by Lawyers Joseph Balikuddembe, Donald Mugulumya, Counsel Ssebunnya as lead counsels along with over a dozen lawyers who are members of the party.
"The legal team has been gathering evidence including video tapes and other documents to file their case and it is expected that by the end of Friday Feb 26th, they will have filed the case," Lubega added.

Lukwago's conspicuous absence

Despite his prominent role as senior legal counsel of the party, Erias Lukwago has declined to lead or be among the senior lawyers of the legal team to pursue Mao. This has however deepened suspicion that Lukwago might have other ambitions which include breaking away from the mainstream party.

On Wednesday Feb 24, Lukwago called an emergency press conference to refute press reports that him and DP Publicity Secretary Betty Nambooze had received up to Ushs 500 million to form a party.

During the press conference, Lukwago also sounded less enthusiastic to take on Mao in a Court battle. Rather, he said, he belonged to neither side of the divided party ie. Mao's side versus the mainstream camp which comprises elders such as Paul Kawanga Semogerere.

Sources with in DP told The Sunrise that they were not surprised by Lukwago's remarks, following rumours that Lukwago was planning to make some announcements soon. Nambooze has also been linked to a plot by a pro-Buganda faction in DP to take over the leadership of the Democratic Party or to join FDC. The FDC connection comes from Dr. Besigye's 'alleged gift' to Nambooze to cater for her treatment in South Africa recently.

The end to reconciliation

Contrary to Lukwago's appeal for the need to the continued pursuit reconciliation, it is evident that the elders and most senior members of the Democratic Party closed the door to reconciliation and are now preparing for an all out battle.

Lubega, who is favoured for the party's top job, told The Sunrise: "The time for reconciliation is over. The opportunity for reconciliation was abused and overtaken by their (referring to Sebaana's faction) adamancy to hold an illegal delegates conference."

On the other hand, Mao speaking during a news conference, sounded every inch presidential with a little bit of arrogance. He denounced the decisions of the party's elders and warned that he would not tolerate another delegates conference scheduled for April 24.

Mao issued a warning to President Museveni  that the battle that took him to the helm of the DP faction was much harder than defeating Museveni.

"What it took me to become DP president is much more than it will take me to defeat Museveni", he said.

Wider ramifications

Whatever happens in or outside court, it is evident that the current crisis is having wider implications on Uganda's politics beyond undermining the party's chances of winning the presidency in 2011.

If Mao's faction breaks away, the Gulu district boss could succeed in taking away a significant portion of FDC's support. This only plays in the hands of the ruling NRM which has never won in northern Uganda.

Perhaps sensing the implications of a popular Mao and son of the soil running against Dr. Kizza Besigye, Forum for Democratic Change spokesperson Wafula Ogutu didn't waste time calling upon Mao to join the Inter-Party Coalition.
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